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Wet Cherry of Truth	By : uztre Category: +S through Z > Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Views: 96295 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I do not own or claim ownership of or make any profit of any of the characters or other elements of The Witcher 3 contained within the story.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
Summary:
Yennefer meets Shani who helps her to get back on her feet again. Shortly after, the raven-haired beauty encounters other people offering a way out of her situation by doing them a favor first. Whether she wants to or not, Yennefer even accepts to become a zerrikanian general and slavemaster's first concubine and attend a special event at the Borsodi's Auction House.
Tags: No sex, breastfeeding, politics, secret organization
Notes:
- Spell-checked on June 15, 2018
"Hey, you! Are you alright?" Yennefer heard a voice coming from very near. After few couples of minutes wailing in unsatisfied need and confusion at the back alley where two redanian guards had used and fucked her for hours, her thoughts were still revolving around the question what was wrong with her, why she had lost control of her own desires and dignity in such spectacular and depraved way. Yennefer didn't understand why this ravenous appetite for big cocks and coarse insults was flaring through her numb wits without any hindrance or intentions to stop any time soon. The aftermath of the orgasmic bliss felt too good, too addictive, natural.

Why resist it?

"Hey, do you hear me?" The feminine voice from earlier echoed through her aural senses. "C'mon, look at me!"

Eyes staring up at the cloudless, blue sky in a trance, Yennefer's view was interrupted as a face of a beautiful girl with short red hair and green eyes appeared before her, a golden medallion of a snake twining around a scepter dangling around the slim neck. She must have been a medic, or at least a student of the famous Academy of Oxenfurt, the raven-haired sorceress thought.

"Here. I help you up. Ready?" Yennefer felt the girl's hand grabbing hers and her body being raised to the upright position again. Her inner heat was slowly on the way to fade as lukewarm cum poured from all her tiny holes down her shiny legs to her ankle-high boots. When her hands braced against the tiled wall, every piece of her petite, spoiled body ached for a hot both and digits to rub off the dry, salty substance sticking in every little pore of it.

As the gorgeous medic's eyes arched at the view of her red garter in surprise, a faint rush of shame came over Yennefer and made her cheeks blush in embarrassment and push the hem of her dirty, muddy dress down to the crack of her reddened buttcheeks. "Thanks..." She muttered, pussy and asshole gaping wide open as more of the soldiers' gooey cum sloshed over her slender legs when she bent for the earned coins between her heeled boots.

"Ahh, she speaks," the girl smiled. "I'm Shani by the way."

"Yen- Jenny..." The raven-haired sorceress smiled back shyly, pulling the straps of her skimpy dress over her shoulders the way her b-cup tits were stowed away and her pink nipples hidden from prying eyes.

"Are you one of Eera's girls?"

"No. I came recently from Povis here," Yennefer replied and let her gaze wander. It was noon. The sun was shining at its peak. She was still feeling confused, heart and legs shook in their anchorage while trying to get rid of some self-accusing thoughts which seemed to have found their best time to reach their most intense level possible. "But I better go before those idiots of soldier come back again."

"And you don't really wanna have a checkup first? Just a minute ago, you were whimpering and wailing in the mud, not amenable at all... The clinic is just around the corner, and it wouldn't cost you anything you know."

"No, thanks. I'm good..."

"If those drunkards Lado and Matej humiliated and harmed you in any way, I'm glad to help you to report their actions to the commanding officer as well," Shani stated seriously.

"You would do that? Are you a soldier too?"

"Me? By Melitele no," The girl giggled warmly. "The commander owes me a favor. Just patched up a lot of his soldiers on the eastern front and helped them to get fit for service again. One word and I'll report them. Seriously."

"No, that's not necessary. I'm on just on the way through, anyway." Yennefer would have loved to report these asshole soldiers to their superior and see them being punished for what they had done to her, but that would have also given rise to unwanted questions about her identity and absent identification papers as well and brought her to the situation in which she would surely come under pressure for failing to offer a decent explanation.

And the last thing she needed was more detailed attention.

"To Velen?" Shani's eyebrow raised. "With this... outfit? You get raped or worse in no time. Here. Better take this." Yennefer couldn't believe as the gorgeous medic got out a bag of coins and gave her.

"Shani, I can't accept that. Take it back..."

"Rubbish. Behind the inn called Three Little Bells is a shop. Mention my name to the owner and he'll help you. Even give you a discount, alright? It would be grossly negligent to let you go this way."

"I-I don't know what to say..." Yennefer really didn't know what to say. Experiencing such kindness after so long felt extremely different and alien. It was beyond description, but she could really need the money and some real clothes.

"You don't have to say anything. Just accept it and make sure you won't encounter any problems later."

"I will. Thank you."

"Alright then. If you change your mind, you know where to find me," Shani gave a short wink and headed off, vanished as fast as she had appeared. "Good luck, Jenny. It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise. And thank you," Yennefer replied, need time to reflect about what had happened recently. After enjoying the moment for few seconds, she walked away too and felt how little flashbacks crossed her mind, the way the men's depraved, violating double-penetration and jaw-shattering facefuck made her whimper and beg herself into total submission, and almost into revealing her own real identity to half Oxenfurt in the process. Her pussy was still edgy, but her ego was preventing it to get the better of her again.

Yet.

Seeing her cheeks coated in dried semen mixed with the black of her mascara reflecting on the windows she was passing by, Yennefer headed directly to Western Gate where the military carts were supposed to stay and carry her away from this madness here. Fear suddenly became perceptible as she thought about her first attempt to enter the city without making much fuss failed such miserably and made the whole already-tense situation worse. It increased the severity and importance of her quick departure once more. She definitively had to get in one of these carts this evening and achieve to leave Oxenfurt at the first go.

No matter what.

In the meantime, people's piercing gazes chased her at every step, as Yennefer rushed through the famous marketplace as fast as her heeled, ankle-high boots allowed her to do so, and tried to not look back or someone directly into his eyes while more streams of cum ran down her thighs and in little dollops leaked out of her asshole and pussy right to the flagged streets of Oxenfurt. And if this wasn't enough, the sticky, warm puddle trapped in her womb swayed at every move, audibly for everyone around. An annoying reminder and token of her own humiliating depravity.

Feeling forced to adjust the red garter one time more, Yennefer pulled it up before it could slide away and she was forced to fuck someone again as a way to convince them of her cover of a street harlot. "These assholes are everywhere. Can't believe they make just such a fuss because of me," she thought as the fifth patrol of Witch Hunter crossed the way and they leered at her sexy, little body with whistling hails and chuckling faces. One time when on the road was not enough space between her and them, hands clutched her buttocks and tits, groping and kneading them before she could free herself and walk on, just to be felt more degraded and hateful than before. For the Witch Hunters, everything seemed to be fun, nothing more. "Subhuman pieces of shit. I wish you'll all die in the Holy Fire you pretend to like so much."

But as much as Yennefer hated them, she hated Netek more. If he had accompanied her, Yennefer was totally sure that nothing of this would have happened to her. It was HIS DOING. HIS FAULT.

Disappointed and frustrated with anybody including herself, Yennefer bore against the anger and determinedly proceeded to the Novigrad Gate just to see more of the witch hunters crawling all over the place. Like Netek mentioned, the exits and especially the bridges were highly guarded by hunters equipped with armors and weapons which were even deadlier than she usually had the luck to encounter in the city. Special Forces, the way Netek had called them, were masked and had their dimeritium swords already handy, ready to kill any enemy who was fool enough to walk into their trap. The insight, that she had never made it out of this doomed city alive as Yennefer of Vengerberg, substantiated again.

Netek was right. Again. And Yennefer hated him for that.

Proceeding next to the great bridge to Velen called Western Gate, the tensed sorceress quickly arrived where she hoped she would never be so close ever; Deireadh prison. With its high walls and hunters spying all over the place, Yennefer felt the intense urge to make few steps back and hide behind some shrubs, as she exactly did that, sneaked back and started to observe the entrance from one of the bushes on the other side of the road. She didn't know whether it was her own rigid imagination or tension, as she meant to hear some screams coming from there, voices of women, violated and desperate, and a cold shiver ran down her back. Four heavy-armored hunters were assigned to keep an eye on people who possibly were brave enough trying to escape, but also on people trying to get in, rescuing their beloved friends.

It was rumored that no one who was sentenced once to Deireadh got out alive again.

"A place of pure abomination and disgrace to anything. Hope Margarita and Sheala are still alive and not here anymore." The memory of her sorceress friends made Yennefer sad and angry at the same time. Both sorceresses had their flaws but never deserved to be caged and tortured within these walls. Since Loc Muinne, Kind Radovid was running amok and if she wasn't careful enough, she was going to end up there as well.

Having the strong urge to leave this place, she kept on walking and arrived after some short minutes the actual target; Western Gate. Three military carts stood there and abiding time the same way Netek had predicted it. Some redanian soldiers were carrying provisions and weapons, storing them away as only a handful bored guards stood to watch. "My ticket out of this lunacy. He might be a big arse and a sadistic pig, but the dwarf was right with everything so far. Done his job very well... Just have to kill time until midnight and then be here for the final part of the plan," Yennefer thought as she felt something similar to hope and fear. Hope, because this hell could be over after only twelve hours. Fear, because she had to find a quiet place in a city containing thousands of people, soldiers, and hunters ready to go for her, and to try to stay there half day long where everything could happen in the meantime.

And there were still her new-found redanian molesters always ready to cause problems.

Just when Yennefer decided to go to the shop Shani had mentioned before, someone ran into her and pushed her petite body aside, making her face redden in rage once more. "Hey watch out, idiot. What do you think you're doing? Have you no eyes in your head!?!" The collision didn't harm her in any way but made the already very stressed sorceress burst out in no time, having finally found a very good excuse to say what she had buried deep inside her heart all the time and had a chance to come out now.

Face burning in fire and eyes shooting deadly bolts, Yennefer turned around, trying to figure out the crude man behind this, let her humiliated ego and stifled temper speak for themselves. She wanted to say she had enough of all this, enough of getting used, fucked, threatened, stuffed, banged, rammed, forced and especially pushed around by dumb people having the brain of a size of a hazelnut. Only enough of their leering, grinning, smirking little stupid faces. Only enough of being treated like a whore, slut, bitch, cunt, fuckhole, or whatever men called women who were much smarter and better than they were. It was enough and Yennefer wasn't going to play along with all these things any longer.

Ready to give vent to anything inflating within her chest, her lilac eyes widened instantly as she saw the actual person behind it, making her new-found confidence floating to nowhere. A girl of maybe ten gazed back at her with such innocence she hadn't seen for a very long time, and then she smiled, warming the sorceress' upset and knowingly cold heart before running off.

"Hm. These children today have no manners. Anyway, I better go to the shop now and--" Yennefer tried to grasp at the bag including those crowns she needed to buy some clothes and rent a room in the inn, but they weren't with her anymore. Immediately, a rush of panic jolted her awake and made her run after the girl as she screamed, "Hey stop. I said stop, you little thief!" The sorceress' threatening didn't seem to impress her a bit when the pain within Yennefer's soiled legs pushed itself to new heights and her stomach went into painful spasm.

The little girl was fast, leaped over the fences and walls without any problem, bag with crowns shaking in her little hands as her body threw itself sideways into the next alleyway and moved as fast as one living being could ever do. Yennefer puffed and blew after so much air, almost ready to give up and have no more energy left as she saw her thief disappearing through an old, dark sewer entrance ahead.

Peering through the lattice gate, Yennefer yelled, "Just wait, I'll find you! You're going to pay for all this, girl," and entered the dark, sticky tunnel without wasting any time, chasing the thief while her resounding giggles through the dark tunnels infuriated her to the core. She was close, knew it. But after turning herself so many times to so many different directions, the raven-haired sorceress became totally lost and finally reached an impasse in the darkness. Big water drops were dashing against cold sewer floor, echoing softly through all tunnels, as Yennefer tried to find a way in and out of her current misery, cursing under her breath about her stupidity and current situation. Notable see anything, Yennefer tried to feel the way out by her hands, and then a bad feeling arose.

"Shit. Where the hell is she? Or better say where am I am? How do I suppose to go back again? Damn, Yen. We needed those coins... How could all this happen to us... Netek... Arrrgh," Yennefer asked herself with blazing wrath, as she grabbed after something which felt like a torch attached to the wall to balance herself, and then a slightly audible noise like a click and spinning cogs reached her ears. Eventually and after a short moment of silence, the wall on her left moved slowly aside, blowing up dust and dirt in the air which caused the sorceress to cough and spot some faint torchlight spreading out all over the dark impasse. "A secret door? Hmm... what is this place? What's going on here?"

Surprised and scared at the same time, Yennefer decided to find out what was going on there and walked along, seeing now much better through the new-found tunnel as the massive wall eventually moved aside and then closed behind her again when she slipped through. "Shit, shit, shit," she cursed and hammered against it, realizing that there was just one way left, the one forward. Slowly making one step after another, the tired sorceress passed several empty tunnels as she followed the light and finally came into a room which caused her eyes to widen in absolute amazement.

A very large room, still one of the sewer corridors though, was full to the brim with people of different races sitting at long tables, their ages ranging between five and seventy. Some women even had babies and little children in their arms, feeding them while eating some food themselves. Being as much surprised by the raven-haired sorceress' presence as she was by them, a heavy silence fell over the entire place and eyes from everywhere moved over to her, suspicious and curious about what was going to happen next.

Looking around, Yennefer felt like she was totally out of place and didn't know whether she should say something or not, as the girl who stole her crowns appeared on the other side of the room and waved her over. Walking carefully along the tables, the appetizing smell of freshly baked bread, cherry jam, and roasted beef reached her nose and made her empty stomach rumble and remember how hungry she had actually gotten. Although Yennefer was never known as a heavy eater, right now she would have gulped down anything.

Even without cutlery, which was definitively a new thing. A no-go.

As she finally approached her little pickpocket, a thirty-year-old man walking with an underarm crutch and a metal leg prosthesis appeared as he called out, "You're here finally, my lady. It's about time. We thought you would maybe give up too fast and leave." He had light brown hair and salmon eyes, stretching out his hand towards the child, as she let the tatter with the crowns fall straight to his hand.

"Who are you? And where am I? And what is all this suppose to mean?" Yennefer asked straight out.

"My name is Stanicek and you're in a special part of the old sewer system built by the elves long time ago," the man stated in a perfect, aristocratic accent Yennefer didn't expect to hear. His expression remained sober and his eyes were locked on hers, proving Yennefer he was taking her seriously, making her feel respected for a change and after a long time. "And you're here because we need your help on something."

"Who are you people actually? And don't tell me you can't say that because I'm really not in the mood for secrets and games right now," Yennefer stated and folded her arms, as a young she-elf at the age of maybe twenty came by and replied in his stead, "Do you have never asked yourself, my lady, what actually happened to all those people and children who lost their parents, brothers and sisters in this absurd war going on between two selfish kings? Never given a little thought about the people who really are in need of protection and never asked for whether they would like to get their beloved ones killed for something they never wanted?"

Yennefer could clearly hear out all the allegations in the woman's words but refused to give her an answer. The self-confidence in the elven girl's gaze and voice remembered her very much of herself, like her dark hair and violet eyes of course.

"WE are the filthy worms gnawing on the suffering body of Mother Redania King Radovid loves to say," Stanicek proceeded to talk. "WE are the unwanted baggage, the filth, and trash of a society which rather prefers to look away and ignore us than act and protect those who can't protect themselves. WE are the shadow, the past and the future of Mother Earth. WE are everywhere and nowhere at the same time. WE are the FORGOTTEN."

Their eyes were blazing and the entire audience heard their speech. The silence was still dominating the entire place for few moments, as Yennefer decided to break the ice again. "The Forgotten? Never heard of you. How many of you live down here? Looks like a community to me." The black-haired elf's lips pursed derisively. "Not a community, a family. But this is not your business here, my lady. Will you listen now to what we have to say or leave now?"

Seeing no harm in listening for a change, Yennefer nodded while typically crossing her arms incautious manner. After what happened the last twenty-four hours, listening was, without a doubt, one of the more easy things to do. And what could these people do to here anyway? They were many but clearly not a murderous militia.

"Tonight," Stanicek began to explain, ignoring his taut girlfriend nearby. "Tonight, there will be a special event at the Borsodi Brothers' Auction House close to the marketplace. High nobility from Kaedwen, Temeria and Redania like dukes, counts, and barons will come together participate in it, such as the first consul and ambassador of Nilfgaard Shilard Fitz-Oesterlen." Yennefer's eyebrow arched. During the events in Loc Muinne, Shilard was shot and murdered in cold blood by his own countryman Renuald aep Matsen. So it was told. "During the last weeks, Baron Fitz-Oesterlen has spent a lot of time with the owner of the auction, Mister Borsodi, and we had reasons to believe that something of major importance is going on there, and therefore bugged the Baron's personal chamber. To cut the matter short, my lady, we need you to obtain that surveillance crystal first and then also use it to record the exclusive congregation tonight. Simple as that."

Simple? That will go down as the understatement of the entire century.

"Sound like the hell of a danger to me. No thanks. Can someone of you please show me the exit again. Have my own problems to deal with," Yennefer replied superciliously and turned herself the direction she came from as she heard Stanicek saying something which caused her eyes to widen in shock," Lady Yennefer of Vengerberg. We know that." Her heart making a painful flip. She stopped and looked back, seeing the invalid man and the elven girl's stern expressions upon her.

"You know who I am?"

"We might be poor and of no noble origin, but not ignorant. You are the main reason for the Witch Hunters' embargo they have established one week ago. Since then, no supply cart from outside the city has ever achieved to pass the city control. But people down here depend on medicine, potions, food and other vital things," Stanicek explained. "This... unsustainable and desperate situation has to end. And you are the key, Lady Yennefer. One way or another."

"Are you threatening me?"

"A threat is a statement of an intention to inflict pain, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone in retribution for something she or he has done or not done. No, we don't threaten you. You should take this as a fair opportunity, my lady." Stanicek didn't raise an eyebrow, looking coolly to Yennefer who felt puzzled and worried.

"A fair chance to die, you mean," she hissed, letting her gaze wander over the people in the room; babies, children, defaced soldiers, impoverished housewives, retirees, homeless people, beggars, unemployed professors of the recently closed University of Oxenfurt, etc. The lowest layer of the redanian society was attendant, and Yennefer couldn't deny that all those children strongly remembered her of Ciri when they both were hanging out together and she was training her, first as a simple teacher and later as her mother, someone she wanted to be called Cirilla of Vengerberg, daughter of Yennefer once. One of the proudest days of her life.

"Lady Yennefer, we know what you were up to at the Western Gate. We know you're planning to go into one of these military carts there to leave Oxenfurt that way." Stanicek observed the stonily look of the raven-haired sorceress' face. "But I'm afraid your plan won't work. Because of this event tonight, the guards doubled their patrols and shifts. They will even use most of those military carts as roadblocks to seal the city off from the outside world during the next days, reroute the supply chain to the Border Post as a replacement... Only one military cart will leave the city tonight. You're trapped here like anybody else."

"What a fortunate coincidence," Yennefer retorted ironically.

Stanicek couldn't bite back a little smile. "I'd prefer the terminology 'chance' in your case. But tell me, who exactly told you about the military carts in the first place? Until two days ago, it was actually a well-hidden secret within the intelligence community." A deep sigh stumbled over the sorceress' pink lips at the thought of Netek and his scheming. "A sadistic, cunning, devious and disgusting little dwarf gave me the intel. Know him?" Yennefer felt how her blood was stirred in the veins.

"Netek Rivay?" The invalid man stated, eyebrow arching as surprise crossed his face.

"You know him? I'll kill him the next time I see him, believe me."

"A spectre? I doubt that. Even for a powerful sorceress like you are, my lady."

"Special Tactics and Reconnaissance?" Yennefer countered, taken aback. Spectres were elite operatives trained to deal with any kind of enemies and resistance including sorcerers and sorceresses, commissioned to defend the Novigrad's and the Hierarch's interests beyond the city's walls, by all available means possible. How was her mission to find Ciri a threat to the Church's stability and existence? If Netek really was a spectre, why didn't he take her hostage and killed her? Or worse. Was the friend or boss he was talking about maybe the Hierarch himself? Was he interested in her mission to find her daughter too? This would explain a lot of things...

But why?

"What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into, Ciri?!? Or ME?!? Dammit..."

"My lady?" Stanicek's worried voice raised in the midst of all her shocking imaginations.

"Y-yes?"

"Is he still here? Netek, I mean."

"Yes... no... I mean he was. Must have sailed to Povis again. That was his plan..."

"Good. The last thing we need right now is hundreds of dead bodies piling up on the streets of Oxenfurt."

Netek's stupid behavior put an entirely different complexion on his words.

"Lady Yennefer? If you really want to leave the city at midnight, you have to get into one very specific cart. But you won't achieve that without any help, our help... In case you decide to undertake this job for us, you have my word that you'll be in that cart one hundred percent and out of the city tomorrow."

"Your word?" Yennefer snorted. "This has no meaning these days... And if I still refuse? What's gonna happen then?"

The serious eyes of Stanicek's didn't change a bit. "Nothing, to be honest. The last thing we want is to assure Radovid a success by seeing you bound to a stake and being burned for his masochistic amusement. And those twenty thousand crowns are a joke... My lady." He gave off an irritated sigh. "You're allowed to stay here as long as you want, but that will most certainly force Caleb Menge to declare the state of emergency like he did last week in Novigrad. And then, well, the embargo will last two weeks longer, and you don't seem like a woman to me who likes to twiddle her thumbs and loaf."

All people's eyes were lying on Yennefer while she and the invalid man kept gazing at each other.

"YOU literally want me to participate in an event where everyone knows me and wants me dead. I'm sure the moment I set a foot in this auction house, I'll commit suicide. I'm not that desperate, is that clear?!"

"No, you won't. We have a plan," Stanicek replied calmly. "Your survival is as much important to us as to you."

Yennefer gave off an annoyed pant. The whole idea was ridiculous. Stupid. Pretty insane and suicidal.

"Should your reaction show me that you'll help us now?"

"It should imply you that I've not decided yet... If I only could get some rest for a moment, it would help me to soothe my nerves and concentrate again, make the right choice..."

"Alright. There is a lot of time until the start of the event in the evening. I suggest you stay here as our honored guest and get some time for you alone. In the meantime, we prepare everything just in case you decide to help us. After dinner, I'll ask you again and you can let me know what your true answer is," Stanicek explained. "Janina, would you please guide Lady Yennefer to her room and send Nesha to look after her later?"

Nodding her head in approval, Janina asked the sorceress to follow and led the way. The sewer tunnels were well illuminated and broad, containing a fresh breeze instead of the typical shitty stench people would except down here, as more people and kids playing together caught her eyes. Most men were obviously veterans of the war, dealing with heavy injuries and using wheelchairs or crutches to move. Others had seen too many winters, and yet others too few. The same went for women. After going through some doors and tunnels, it didn't take much longer as both finally reached their target.

"So here we are," Janina said as both entered a narrow room, bed on the left and curtained bath tube on the right corner. There wasn't much space but better than anything she would get on the surface, Yennefer thought.

"You don't like the idea of having me here, right?" Yennefer asked straight on and dropped to the bed, crossing her legs as she looked into the elven girl's eyes. "I don't matter whether I like this or not. Father asked us to help you and we agreed. Once word was given, there's no way back," she replied blatantly and walked over to the tube, checking out the water. "The water is lukewarm. Perfect. I suggest you take a bath first and then get some sleep. Nesha will bring you a bathrobe and clothes in the meantime."

"Father?" Yennefer's eyebrow arched in surprise. "Who is Father?"

Just ignoring the sorceress' question, Janina walked out of the room and closed the door right behind her. For a split second, Yennefer was terrified of being trapped in there, as her lilac eyes spotted a key in the lock and a deep sigh waved over her lips. She opened the door only to make sure she wasn't really locked up in here and watched out for people at the doorstep. No one was in the corridor. Not a soul.

Sighing relieved a second time in sequence, Yennefer couldn't ignore her body's plea for some rest, pushed her arms simply out of the cleavage of the dress, shook the ankle-high boots off and was ready to jump into the tube, as her eyes crossed the red garter around her slim, left thigh. She was happy, as her hands stretched out and then ripped it off, threw it away. A feeling of freedom and pride rushed through her.

The tired sorceress heaved herself into the bath tube, water giving an appreciative chill as she sank and spread her legs wide open, feeling the sticky, dry cum pouring out of her. As the lukewarm water turned into a white, salty mixture, Yennefer poured a bottle containing something which smelled like cherries, rubbing away softly the stress and dirty of last days. The problems of the present didn't seem to be so important anymore right now.

It felt so good that she even poured some of it on her forehead and massaged her hair, eyes closed in bliss. Then, after some long, beautiful minutes, she dove into the water full of blisters, letting her body simply slide and wish this happiness would never end again. The thin, ebony choker collar was vibrating slightly as she pushed herself up to get some fresh air, streams of water running down her raven-black hair and face as few knocks on the door startled her out of the sweet dream.

"Lady Yennefer. It's me, Nesha. Brought some things, a towel, and bathrobe. Can I come in?"

"Of course," she replied instantly, not seeing the obligation to hide her body from an already grown-up woman and let her beautiful breasts on display. Pushing the door softly open, Nesha, a chubby dwarven woman with barmaid clothes, stepped in and put the things on the bed, obviously avoiding any eye contact. "Could you please hand the towel and robe right to me? If I stay longer in this tube, I'll never make it out again," Yennefer smiled, trying to have a better start with her than with Janina before, as she stepped out of the water and put on the bathrobe before wrapping up her curly black hair in the towel.

"The circumstance of your mission has become clearer now," Nesha uttered. "Stanicek told me, your cover will be that of a member of the zerrikanian delegation. An impressive cover, isn't it?"

While applying some makeup and using toiletries, Yennefer asked the one thing she really wished to know at the moment, "Who is that Father of yours? Is he in charge here? Can I talk to him?"

Nesha locked some strands of her long brown hair behind her ear. "Father made all this possible for us, but he's not in charge. Here, we've got a council of seven members, commissioned with seven different divisions for two years. Stanicek's task, for instance, is to protect us from possible enemies outside. Mine is to ensure the offspring's healthy progress and to maintain a good education system within the community. But here, we've no bosses, no queens, no kings like you sorceresses always love to have one. And before you ask again, my lady, Father is not here and you only meet him when he wants to. Not one second before. Always."

Yennefer recognized that the toiletries were brand-new, as she finished applying her famous work of lilac and black makeup, and putting on black mascara and pink, glossy lipstick. Nesha's lilac eyes widened when she saw the beauty of the sorceress right before her, the way her raven-black, curly hair fell majestically to her shoulders. "Woow, you're so gorgeous," she blurted unwittingly, blushing and giggling as her hands pressed against her lips in amazement.

"Thanks, sweety, but we both know which one of us is the real beauty here," Yennefer grinned lovely and adored every little reddening in Nesha's clayey face. Her smile, however, and the way her little ears moved back and forth when she did it resembled very much to Ciri's. It was heart-warming.

Their friendly moment went short when someone frantically knocked at the door and a high-pitched sound like of a crying baby resounded through. "Nesha are you here? I need your help with this baby. Can I come in?" An another stressed female dwarf asked and waited until Nesha opened the door to let her step inside, face sweat-soaked and in hands a baby wrapped in the towel, lending weight to its bad mood.

"Poor boy is going mad, really. Don't know what's the problem with him. Guess he's neither comfortable with me nor with other women here. Please tell me, what should I do now?" She asked while tears ran down little youngster's face. He was maybe four or five months old at most, his hands struggling and smashing all over. Yennefer seemed to be as much clueless as the girl, as Nesha turned to her and said, "Could you hold him once?"

The sorceress' lilac eyes widened in shock. "No-no-no I don't know anything about this. Can't help you. Besides..."

"Fiddlesticks!" Nesha interrupted, looking deeply into her eyes. "You're a woman likes all of us. And he is just a little boy who seeks comfort in his mother's arms... Try to give him the breast, my lady."

Before Yennefer was able to jump away or buck the idea, Nesha took the baby from the other girl and pushed him to her. Feeling eventually an incredible weight increasing on her own shoulders, she fell off right into the bed and watched in a curious way how the baby's own big, round eyes were locked on hers. For a very short moment what felt like years, he stopped weeping bitterly and smiled back at her. The effect was so frightening and beautiful at the same time that Yennefer became totally paralyzed, tears welled up in her eyes as she cradled the baby's head with the crook of her arm.

"It won't work, Nesha. Take him back," Yennefer said with shaking voice near to tears. She was a ninety-four-year-old woman, and even if she hadn't been infertile, her unnatural-altered age would have damaged the nerves within the breasts too much already. The thought of never being able to bring a child into the world pushed the sorceress almost over the edge and delivered memories she would like to forget forever. After all, things she tried to get her fertility back, all the discussions with Geralt and sacrifices she made, a wonderful baby was given to her now, and she couldn't help him in any way. She felt so useless. So alone. So alien.

"Why?" The brown-haired dwarf asked curiously, knowing nothing about the ongoing trouble within the sorceress.

"Because I'm a sorceress and it won't work in my case," Yennefer replied, heart-broken.

"You haven't even given him a chance," Janina insisted and hoped the sorceress would overcome her fear.

Reluctantly, Yennefer pulled the tie belt of her bathrobe open and pushed the baby carefully to her breast the way his lips touched the tip of her nipple, but expecting that nothing was going to happen next. In the beginning, it really seemed that way as the little youngster didn't stop crying or doing anything instead, just ignored the freely given opportunity before him. Then, the baby's face brightened and his tongue snatched at the pink nipple ahead, started suckling and pushing himself closer. A tingling and prickling sensation raised in her breast, as Yennefer watched how more and more milk was leaking and streaming right into the baby's mouth.

"It works. See?" Nesha smiled at her.

Speechless and totally overwhelmed by the intimate spectacle going on in front of her, tears ran down Yennefer's face as she enjoyed the famous milk ejection reflex happening each time he sucked at her nipple and a flow of milk rushed constantly and rhythmically through its opening. Coughing from time to time, the baby swallowed one mouthful gulp after another, closing his eyes as he relished the tasty, natural liquid, and couldn't get enough of it.

"Everything alright?" Nesha asked as she saw Yennefer's tears dripping down the face.

Yennefer caressed the baby's soft cheek and tried to support his feast, removing the towel and slowly pressing his naked body against her own, feeling the strong throb of his little heart and the inflation of his stomach filling with her precious breast milk. The bodies' close touch showed her what she had been always seeking for all these years quite plainly; a son, daughter, happiness of a family. Something of significance. "What about his mother?"

Both women gave each other a sad look, obviously having no good news to share. "His mother tried to drown him and herself in the river not far from here. We could save him... but for her, any help came too late."

"By the Goddess... why? And his father?" Yennefer asked, deeply grieved while trying to understand how a mother could do such thing. After all, these sorrowful years trying to have her own baby, hearing something like this made her angry and so sad. "He died in the war. We assume, without him, his mother wasn't able to maintain her position in the noble society anymore, so..."

Yennefer didn't know what to say and thought that the worries seemed to not bother the baby at the moment so much, as noises of deep swallows resounded through the room and the baby drank him fill until he purred like a cat near on the verge of sleep. Minutes later, his lips parted from her soft nipple and short streams of milk leaked down the pink areola. After some coughs, he licked his lips and peacefully doze off. A beautiful sight.

"I think it's time for me to go to sleep as well," she stated, eyes dull as well and almost falling down.

"Then I better take him again, my lady, so you-"

"That's not necessary, Nesha. He can sleep with me and besides, people say it's better to not wake up an already napping baby if you value your life," Yennefer smirked and lay full length in bed, positioning slowly his head under the pillow. She felt obliged to him, wanted to make sure she made the most their time together before the severity of life caught them both up again.

"Alright then, we'll leave. But if you need something, you only have to turn left to the next corridor."

"Wait," Yennefer whispered before the girls were out. "How do you call him? What's his name?"

"He has no name. Haven't given him one yet. And honestly, there wasn't much time to ask his mother either..."
Waking up after an unknown number of hours, Geralt - Yennefer decided to give him that name because his innocent cuteness and strange smile - was playing with her nose, poking his little fingers into her nostrils. He stood calm, as the sorceress woke up, eyes dull and looking deep into his chestnut brown ones. Geralt was mumbling to himself, seemed to have a good time and smiled back.

"Hey little boy, did you have a good sleep, did you?" Yennefer said as two knocks came from the door. Nesha stepped in, looking over to them whether they were still sleeping. As she saw the sorceress' waving, she moved closer and said, "It's time, my lady. Dinner's ready. You should eat and make your definite choice. I better take the baby again."

"Geralt. His name is Geralt," the sorceress stated proudly and kissed his forehead. They didn't have spent much time together, but she felt like they would know each other for a very long time, making it hard to think that it had to end now. "I thought he deserved to have a name after all he's gone through."

Janina looked confused. "Geralt? Sounds good to me. But why exactly this name?"

"Because he is as cute and sweet as the Geralt I know. And the way he looks at people... exactly the same," Yennefer explained and rose, stretching arms to give the baby to her, as he started crying, fidgeting and looking back at the sorceress with tearful eyes. He obviously didn't want to leave his new-found mother, didn't want to go back.

Seeing one of the most heart-breaking scenes in her life, the first instinct was to take him back, but Nesha made a step back and uttered, "No, my lady. The longer we wait the more difficult it gets for both of you. You have to let him go and allow him this way to deal with it. Otherwise, the separation will become even more painful. Impossible." Her wise words made the situation not better of course, and Yennefer had to force herself to stay back, but she let him go and hand over to the other girl who came up with him the last time.

In that very moment, the sorceress felt like a bad mother. Although the little Geralt wasn't his son, and she was totally aware of that of course, she also knew that her real foster-daughter was somewhere out there and needed her help. But this fact didn't make it easier, not a bit. "I'm sorry, my lady. That's the way it is and there are thirty-four other babies here we've been looking for," she stated sadly, seeing the sorceress' frustrated expression. "Thirty-four, you say? So many? And you take care of them by only yourself?"

Nesha smirked confidently. "It's better this way. Public institutions are badly funded and crowded, can't offer the children the same devotion as we do. With us, they have also the best opportunities to make something of themselves, instead of becoming criminals or cannon fodders for some nobles and kings. With us, they're able to learn a trade, be a smith or study medicine, or whatever they like. We are there for them."

Yennefer was extremely impressed. As she opened her lips to ask something further, Janina came in as well and interrupted her by holding up some undergarments and sandals in the air. "You should put these things on before we go. Your dress is in the laundry right now and will be handed out later, and..." Her glance stopped at the red garter lying on the floor. "And we didn't find any undergarments on the floor, so I thought I give you these, at least for the short time you're here."

Blushing, Yennefer tightened the belt of her bathrobe, pulled the panties up her slim legs, shaking her butt slightly to make it fit and then slipped into the strap sandals. Usually, the sorceress wasn't a fan of putting on clothes which didn't belong to her, but since Netek had forced her into an already-worn skimpy dress with no panties and bra, she learned to shed such profound aversions very quickly.

"Nesha, hope our lady here didn't cause to much trouble to you?"

"On the contrary. She was actually very helpful and polite. Something you might try as well, my dear."

Janina rolled her eyes. "Follow me to the dining room, my lady. The others have already started eating and there are only a few hours left until the briefing," Janina stated and moved on. Yennefer kissed the little Geralt the last time and said goodbye, feeling still bad about the idea to leave him. As she finally brought herself to go away, she realized that they didn't take the same route as the last time, trotting through empty corridors. They didn't exchange a word for long moments, as a piercing smell of something she never expected to be here rushed through her senses. When a door on the right side suddenly got open, Yennefer was able to actually see what it was; fisstech, not only the powder but an entire drug lab. People with masks, goggles and leather gloves were filling small bottles, measuring out them with special tools and passing them over.

"You are producing fisstech here?" Yennefer noticed audibly, eyebrows raising in amazement and a little shock. On the peoples' mask was hanging a long tube, obviously providing them with fresh air while their hair nets were protecting them from getting particles into their systems. The lab was the most professional workshop the raven-haired sorceress had ever seen. Not that she was very familiar with those kinds of things but the person who built this obviously knew how to combine efficiency with high working safety. Yennefer would have admired the inventor's ingenuity, if not people in there were working their asses up.

"Yes. How do you think, do we finance and guarantee our stay and safety here?" Janina asked, shaking her head. "With pretty pleases and positive thinking? Trust? C'mon, you can't be that naive."

Yennefer growled.

"Sixty percent of our customers are peers and rich people, the rest active and retired soldiers," Janina explained blatantly. "To make sure that the drug doesn't fall into the wrong hands, Father has laid down clear rules, such as shift restrictions of three hours maximum, or restrictions about the customers' minimum age. We are very choosy with our clients and aware of our responsibility within the family and our liability towards the society as a whole."

"What a beautiful partnership you and Father have here. Just freaking incredible," Yennefer uttered haughtily, trying to get out more information from Janina by provoking her. It worked of course, as the she-elf burst out and went straight toward her, finger menacingly raising in the air. "You know nothing, Yennefer of Vengerberg. It was Father who saved us from starving and begging for only a handful of crowns. He was the person who opened our eyes, liberated us from the ignorance and desperation your kind brought upon us."

Janina's face turned red, eyes flashing, remembering Yennefer of herself.

The same pain and hate. Same bitterness.

Meanwhile, their little discussion attracted more and more people's attention, with some looking around the edge, and others walking to the corridor itself. The fight between elder Yennefer and little Yen was getting a spectacle and nobody wanted to miss it.

"My kind? You must have gotten something wrong about me, my love. I don't bear any titles and never-"

Hooking her leg around Yennefer's, Janina pushed her to the wall, blocking her attempts to free herself with the feet. Two faces being very close, Yennefer thought for a split second she was going to kiss her, as Janina's lips scurried along her cheeks to her right ear, whispering, "There's a storm coming, my lady. You and your friends better batten down the hatches, because when it hits, you're all gonna wonder how you ever thought you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us."

A cold shiver ran down Yennefer's back, as she finally achieved to disentangle herself. "I've NEVER received anything as a gift or was born with unimpeachable privileges. I FOUGHT for them. Every day in my life!"

"Piece of garbage! You were just a lucky girl who got rescued by the sorceress Tissaia de Vries and didn't have to fight for anything. We on the other side, the people, we are condemned to failure and death, to suffer our entire life without the luxury of being endowed with a magic affinity like your kind loves to rub in our face," Janina exclaimed in deadly earnest, making Yennefer almost speechless when hearing the name of her former mistress Lady de Vries. It was a very long time ago and something only a few people knew about.

"Where did you get that name? Who told you this???"

"Lady Yennefer, you are only here because of Father's personal request. Do you really think, we would let you in without making our background check about you? Without Father's personal intel and knowledge?" Janina asked coldly and added, "How stupid and naive do you think we people are, actually?"

Yennefer pursed her lips, wanted to say something but achieved to control herself at the end. Janina was clearly seeking an excuse to quarrel with her, and there was nothing she could say which would have quenched her anger.

"Your reticence says it all... But don't be afraid, my lady. Sooner or later, you'll receive a visit from Father too and get another chance to justify your actions." Janina's expression was cold as ice and worthy of a sorceress'. "And he's not famous for his great patience and sympathy for hussies of the Lodge..."

Their gazes remained locked for few seconds, silence awkwardly filling the place.

"You know what I think, Janina?" Yennefer uttered with an evil grin on the lips. "You're just jealous of me."

Janina gave of a scornful pant.

"Despite all the things you think you know about me and the problems of your life you blame me for, Father seems to think otherwise. He even let me in, asking for my help. Protects me. Needs me." The elven girl snarled audibly, as Yennefer placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head forward the way she was looking into her eyes. The famous Yennefer of Vengerberg look most people used to know. And most of the time not because they liked to. "Father's decision bothers you so much, little girl, that you are desperately trying to make me wanna leave this place. But you know what, I won't go. Instead, I will savor every moment of your annoyance and anger as long as it's possible. Here. And with you. Together."

Feeling like she had checkmated her opponent finally, Yennefer was eagerly awaiting the she-elf's resignation and irritated leaving. People used to stop arguing with her when they got to the point where they noticed she wouldn't be ready to listen to reason. And it wasn't really worth mentioning that Yennefer enjoyed the tingle under her nails and the sense of superiority in particular, of course.

"What's this supposed to be here?" Stanicek barked, coming around the next corner before Janina could say something. "Janina, I will take care of Lady Yennefer from here. Go back to Nesha and ask her what you can do for her."

The raven-haired she-elf was seething with rage, not had been able to give vent to all of her anger, as she stamped off without saying any mean word and disappeared in one of the tunnels. "I very much apologize for Janina's behavior, my lady. She just goes through a bad patch. That's all. C'mon. Let's move on before you reach the brink of starvation," Stanicek smiled, bowed respectfully and went off with Yennefer close on his tail.

"So, you're really dealing with fisstech?"

"Yes," the invalid man replied calmly. "But it's only ten percent of our entire income." The tunnels they were walking through were bristling with people. "The most part of the income comes, however, from this place here," Stanicek explained and pointed toward the marketplace ahead. At least twenty large stalls on each side of the corridor filled with food, drinks, clothes, weapons, armors, potions, books and many other things were vying for the people's attention. Furthermore, Yennefer also recognized stalls of doctors, hairdressers, barbers, stone carvers, and blacksmiths. The inhabitants of this place were cheering and talking about their lives together while children playing hide all around the place. An incredible sight.

"The most money actually comes from the one percent charge for every sold service and product down here. Things we can't produce by ourselves, we bring in from outside and especially other villages. But since the embargo is active, the prices of wheat and milk exploded and people can't buy as much as they want."

"Because of me, you mean..."

"Because of the bloody Witch Hunters, my lady," Stanicek countered and looked into Yennefer's eyes. "And Radovid and Emhyr. And the Church, and the system we all are forced to live in its entirety, which, if we are honest, only benefits ten percent of the population and only those who are corrupt and willing to suck up to one giant asshole. And yes, the famous Lodge of the sorceresses you belong to, my lady, is or let's say was a part of that beneficial group too... But if it wasn't you who Radovid wants to see dead, then someone else would be that person. And in this very specific situation of today, you are actually a victim like all of us and deserve help and support."

A little girl came closer to Yennefer and handed a violet tulip over to her. "Thank you, sweety," the raven-haired sorceress smiled in surprise and accepted it. "Is this for me?" The girl just nodded her head with a warm grin and ran off back to his friends again.

"A refreshing way to look at my person. Very rational. So what's the catch?" Yennefer asked with an ironic grin.

The invalid man's limber expression changed into tense one. "Follow me, my lady. I want to show you something." They squashed through the huge crowd of people and moved to another broad corridor on the other side with many tunnels adjoining to it. As they passed the first door, Yennefer saw with arching eyebrow how two dozen men and only two women were practicing sword and shield combat, archery and hand-to-hand fighting together while being spurred by veterans around them.

"Since six hundred years, since the reigns of Dezmod and Sambuk simultaneously began, people of the poor and working class have been exploited on the basis that they haven't blue blood and therefore not belonging to their exclusive family of chosen ones. They have been forced to die for their family disputes and intrigues, to live in ignorance and to accept a status quo, an establishment, which doesn't represent them in any way, protects and fights for them. WE won't accept this injustice anymore and longer. WE will change it," Stanicek explained, determined.

The raven-haired sorceress remained, to say the least, skeptical. Many powerful men and women had already tried to change the monarchy and its destructive system, but at the end, they all failed, because they had been lacking three simple things; money, knowledge and - most importantly - intelligence. A king, and as someone who owns the prerogative of coinage, sovereignty of literacy and a personal intelligence agency, was hard to beat. But if a person really wanted to do that, he or she had to compete against the king with all these three factors together and at the same time. In other words: The challenger had to outclass the monarchy at his own home and by his own rules.

An almost impossible and incredibly uneven fight.

Therefore, the Lodge of the sorceresses' primary intention was to become a part of the royal courts of the continent and to influence the system from inside. Be the system before taking it completely over. Today, all the world knew what really happened. Philippa Eilhart's house of cards and intrigues collapsed and also backfired the most brutal way possible; treason, savage persecution, and extinction.

They passed another large room, this time brimful with children and teenagers sitting at tables and listening to a woman who seemed to be some sort of a teacher or professor in front of a blackboard. "They are sidestepping the rules by providing free education to the destitute," Yennefer stared in amazement. "Interesting strategy. Expensive..."

"Not long ago, most people down here were illiterates, barely able to read one word, even less to write a sentence," Stanicek uttered in annoyance. "We changed that. By sharing free and unrestricted knowledge to everyone. We broke the power of the guilds such as the blacksmiths, merchants, and alchemists, and enable to get work permits and open a shop, to study and earn money the way they want. NOT the way the society is forcing them."

Yennefer kept calm and listened carefully. She never expected to see something like this in Oxenfurt, in the sewers.

On their tour through the busy tunnels, they also passed a large library, alchemy laboratory, and infirmary, as Stanicek finally stopped and gazed at the surprisingly silent sorceress at his side. "Anything alright, Lady Yennefer? You look confused, amazed and afraid at the same time. All this is maybe too much for you?"

"Father," Yennefer blurted out. "How did he know that I was going to arrive here, anyway?"

"I have no idea. Really. We got Father's request and your personal file just yesterday. If you meet him, ask him."

Yennefer had to laugh and shake her head. Since she entered the ship in Povis, her life was standing upside-down and someone was clearly pulling the strings behind the scenes. She could feel it. And now this. Even before she actually set a foot in Oxenfurt, a mysterious and obviously powerful man had already gotten wind of her presence and trying to take advantage of her.

But if Netek really was part of all this, why didn't he just simply told her to go the sewers and meet Stanicek?

It didn't make a sense, unless...

Netek's friend and Father weren't the same people. Was there maybe a second party involved in this?

Yennefer felt shivery at that thought.

"What the hell is going on here dammit?!?"

"C'mon, my lady. Let's find you place to eat something," Stanicek smiled again and led the way.
Using a fork and knife, the raven-haired sorceress swallowed the last piece of the beef steak and slurped on the raspberry juice, thinking about anything she had learned so far. And yet, most things seemed to stay hidden in the shadows, not revealing their whole plan and picture. Netek's boss or - how he called him - a friend was already on her heels, and now this Father too. Both characters were without doubt very powerful and well-connected. In fact, it was even possible that these men were the same, and she was trapped in his sick game.

But what could she actually do about it?

Step aside and just refuse any opportunity given?

Look for another way by her own?

Or even stop her attempt to find Ciri at all, backtrack and try another attempt later?

After all, what happened so far?

Yennefer didn't know what to make of all these, as she gulped down the last drop of her raspberry juice and looked around. Obviously, the hot topic right now was her presence here and people's gaze and shaking of their heads showed the sorceress that they weren't really pleased with it. And after what she had seen and heard so far, Yennefer couldn't blame them for doing so. Most of them seemed to have experienced extremely bad things in the past with Radovid's and other kings' politics, the social injustice and war, of course. Although she never belonged to the nobility of any nation at all, her former rank as a sorceress and king Demavend's advisor at the royal court seemed to make them believe that.

"Lady Yennefer, I hope you enjoyed the beef, endive salad and baked potato our cook Tisk has prepared for you," Stanicek uttered warmly and pointed with his eyes to the plump, dwarven man two tables away, smirking and bowing respectfully as she looked over. "It was perfect, thank you," Yennefer replied and meant it that way, as she watched how Stanicek gave the dwarven cook thumbs up. "So, what do you think? Going to help us or sit your situation out?"

"You're a little shark, you know. The baby, the conversation with Janina and the whole tour through the tunnels. You really tried to make yourself look trustworthy and to show probable cause. Father's information about me was remarkably accurate. Congratulations," Yennefer stated in a sweet manner, slightly pouting.

"I don't know what you are talking about, my lady," Stanicek replied innocently while trying to visibly suppress a grin.

"Of course you don't," she wisecracked. "But your efforts at least showed me that you really need my help. And I'm ready to take the bait. So, what now?"

Stanicek breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I would like you to ask to come with me now. Everything is prepared and we can finally hold the briefing." Pushing the plate away, the raven-haired sorceress raised and followed courteous man limping through different corridors to a room with a big, round table in the middle and desks in each corner. Maps, books, and documents were spread all over and people seemed to have heated discussion with each other.

"Shani? What are you doing here?" Stanicek asked in surprise and walked toward the medic.

"Sorry to crash in on you like this but I really need the information about the Toad Prince."

As Shani recognize Yennefer standing at the doorstep, she friendly beckoned to her. "Hey, Jenny."

The raven-haired sorceress waved back and listened carefully.

"No problem... Here," Stanicek uttered and got out a file with different sheets of paper after asking the raven-haired sorceress to wait for a minute.

"So, what do you think?" Shani asked while surveying the information.

"The monster called Toad Prince must be somewhere in those tunnels. We've followed its venom and victims down here but not further. Too risky."

"Why?"

"The entire place and auxiliary shafts are crawling with drowners from here to there. It's impossible to reach him without coming upon heavy resistance. How many soldiers are going to accompany you again?"

"Thirteen including me."

"Twelve?!? Never. You'll be dead before you even come close to him. Look. According to Father's calculations, you need for these eight tunnels at least five men, which makes forty plus five soldiers to protect you, and at least ten to compensate losses between those eight lines. So, in the end, you'll have to gather fifty-five men to reach him."

Shani was shocked at the number. "Fifty-five? Impossible. The Redanian General Staff would never provide me with such manpower. I barely achieved to get twelve. And those are not even the strongest or brightest ones."

"Well, that's not all, Shani." Stanicek remained serious. "These are just calculation to approach the monster. You'll need at least as much men to kill it. According to the venom's concentration level and propagation speed, Father's assumes that the monster must be really, really big. Fifteen to fifteen feet tall, minimum... He is in a league by himself, Shani. Don't go. Not this way."

"Shit," Shani hissed. "But I have to try it. This monster has already infected too many wells and spread his disease all over the city. Many citizens became ill and a pregnant woman even died yesterday. Can't just say alright and go. Have to take the risk and try my luck nonetheless... Stanicek, can't you just spare me one hundred of your warriors and accompany me instead?"

"Yes, I could do that. They would even do a good job in killing all those drowners and whatever, but Shani... this monster isn't an enemy they are trained for. None of us. For the Toad Prince, you'll need someone who has dedicated his entire life to kill such monsters. You know who I'm talking about," the invalid man smiled cheesily.

"Stanicek you old crook," Shani chuckled back and rolled her eyes. "Geralt is not here. And I am a big girl. Old enough to solve my own problems, you know."

"Geralt?" Yennefer muttered.

"I'm pretty sure about that, Shani. But the situation of your relationship with him doesn't change the facts... If you go the way you have planned so far, you will die. Don't do it. Please. Look out for another witcher first and then go. But I'm afraid that the remaining ones are not a match for this monster. You'll need your Geralt of Rivia."

"Shani, Geralt, relationship? What???"

Shani stroke her cheek and sighed. "And just forget that he cheated on me with this red-haired sorceress Triss Merigold? Instead of bringing me the boy Alvin and raise a family, he preferred to endanger him and shag her. Would you ask someone like this for help, Stanicek?"

"Geralt shagged Shani and cheated on her with Triss?... Trissss. What a sneaky floozy you are. What???"

"Yes, actually. I'd do everything to stay alive. It's not like you have to sleep with him again. Just need his abilities to slay this monster. Afterward, both of you go your ways again... Just wait a little bit and then hire him for this job."

"I'll think about it," the red-haired medic uttered annoyed. "Alright... Better go now. Thanks for everything, Lieutenant. As one of my oldest friend in the temerian army, I knew I can count on you... Jenny." Shani gave Yennefer a quick nod and walked away, leaving her alone with more questions and anger than before. She asked herself how many women Geralt had actually slept with when he had his so-called amnesia. And there was still Triss, of course. A devious, busty snake.

"My lady over here, please," Stanicek uttered and waved the sorceress to his place of the round table. "And thanks for waiting. So... To recap, there will be a special event at the Borsodi Brothers' Auction House tonight. The nilfgaardian ambassador Shilard Fitz-Oesterlen will participate too and your task is to obtain the surveillance crystal from his personal chambers so you can use it to record the major even later. Any questions so far?"

"Well, where should I start... Shilard. He died in Loc Muinne. Shot by Renuald aep Matsen and was declared persona non grata in Redania. And now he is the ambassador here? This must be a mistake," Yennefer explained, interested to hear a logical explanation because if the baron was really alive, it would have meant that Emhyr had actually lied to her.

"He didn't die that day. Yes, he was shot and hit by a bolt at the left side of his chest but survived it. Few loyal henchmen rescued him and took him back to Nilfgaard again. And since Dijkstra isn't the head of the Redanian Secret Service anymore, Radovid undid many of his former directives. And Shilard was in play again. Politics, what else."

Yennefer listened reflectively, could feel that something big was going to happen tonight and she was right in the middle of it. "Alright. How should I get into this auction house? Nesha told me something about a cover of a member of the zerrikanian delegation. An unusual way, when we consider that I don't share any resemblance to zerrikanian people."

Stanicek's lips crinkled. "You will accompany General Javvar Azol as his... um... haweenay."

"His what?"

"Mother of mistresses or lady of the harem if loosely translated," a black and tall guy of thirty-five suddenly tossed in and made the raven-haired sorceress turn around in surprise. He was wearing long, chestnut tunic with the hem reaching the knees and a deep neckline showing a lot of his thoroughly fit body and muscles. His silk, sleeveless outfit was tightened at this belly by a leather belt with a round, copper emblem of a dragon. His boots were made up of the same materials and completed his appearance by his pierced right ear and tattooed upper arms.

He was handsome and seductive as dark chocolate.

And Yennefer liked nazairi chocolate...

A lot.

"General Azol, welcome. Allow me to introduce you Lady-"

"Yennefer of Vengerberg, known as the Horsewoman of War, Member of the Lodge of the sorceresses, former Royal Council of King Demavend the third, and the most beautiful woman far and wide," General Azol bowed and kissed the upper side of Yennefer's hand. His voice was chesty and harsh, made the raven-haired enchantress blush immediately.

"I'm honored, General. But I won't be a prostitute or a concubine for you..."

"Prostitute? A haweenay?" Javvar countered with a stern face. "Nothing could have been further from the truth. A haweenay is one of the most respected and coveted members of a clan she belongs to. Her beauty and intellect are representing the fertility, pride, and purity of the harem and family she had pledged eternal allegiance to. She is the mother and mistress of all slaves her clan has captured during its expeditions of conquest. An assault on her is an assault on the clan and Zerrikania State, my lady."

Yennefer wasn't really familiar with zerrikanian culture and traditions. However, she heard stories about their customs and practices related to slavery and the keeping of so-called women's quarters and servants. But unlike the nilfgaardian slavery, which was extremely brutal and full of violence, the strict code of zerrikanian society demanded a much more liberal and humane way of practice. A zerrikanian merchant told Yennefer once that if zerrikanian forces, for instance, had successfully conquered new lands and countries, defeated leaders found themselves often faced with the obligation of paying reparations by handing over a requested amount of virgin women and keeping this way the supervision of their lands, or by actually paying the entire sum of the reparation and preserving their freedom. As a result of this practice, women who got wrenched from their families became actual members of their clans with their own rights and privileges in the harem, and legal possibilities to buy their way out of their situation.

An institutionalized serfage, kinda.

This practice led to a determining factor that the more concubines a male member of a family contributed to the family's own harem, the more respected he got within the tribe and in the society as a whole. On the other side, the very mistress, who wasn't just the most beautiful and the best in the chief's bed but also possessed high level of intelligence and loyalty, got an exceptional opportunity to become the headmistress of the entire clan's female servants and harem, being even treated as equal to the mother of the clan's chief herself.

A powerful and influential position.

And there were the famous tattooed warrior women with their own harems of male servants too, of course...

All in all, the general's story seemed to be true so far, Yennefer thought, as Javvar added, "If you accompany me, my lady, you will be treated like a queen, my queen. And - may I dare to say - you absolutely deserve it. You are the most beautiful white woman I've ever seen. It would be an honor for me to have you on my side and present you as my clan's most ravishing and valuable asset." The zerrikanian general bowed again.

Yennefer really missed these sweet blandishments. After the last twenty hours of being called a whore and bitch, the man's words were a balm for her hurt ego and soul. It felt so good and first of all right to be called a queen, and for some unknown reasons an asset as well.

Even the idea to belong to somebody. A man.

Strange...

"I am sure you would, general," Yennefer uttered in the sexiest manner and with hot eyes. "Alright, I can live with the idea of being your clan's... lady of the harem. But how is all this going to help me to remain anonymous?"

"As your 'mbuye', you will be provided with jewelry, clothes, shoes and everything you need to look agreeable to your legitimate status of my haweenay. Money doesn't matter. And once you look like a zerrikanian queen, those white boys and girls of peers will be dwelling on other thoughts than with your real identity, believe me."

"Mbuye?" Yennefer asked softly.

Javvar's eyes began to sparkle possessively. "Your Master, slave."

Both bandied long looks, with the raven-haired sorceress tilting her head back to gaze up and the general the same just in reverse. Something was in the wind and she could sense it. A thrill rushed through her bones at the thought she was going to be a black foreigner's property and asset. And at the imagination of calling him Master made her pussy even itchy and wet.

"Then we should better look for the right dress right now. We have already picked out some-"

"No! With all due respect, Stanicek, I'm sure you and others down here have a good taste, but my haweenay deserves only the best and most expensive. We're heading to an event full of cocky peers and members of the high society. Yennefer must look perfect. Better visit the store called 'Passionata' here and let the lady decide what satisfies her just enough."

Yennefer's violet eyes shot wide open in amazement. Passionata was a koviri fashion chain and marketer of women's premium lingerie, womenswear, beauty products, and everything else a woman could wish for. Once when she was in Lan Exeter a few years ago, she visited one of the shops and couldn't stop giggling like a princess in wonderland. The most gorgeous clothes a woman of today could find and buy for the money. A lot of money, of course. The price for a silk, black dress ornamented with silver and violet sapphires, and a pair of hot stilettos designed by no less a figure than the famous Florian Louboutin from Beauclair was twelve thousand crowns. A total token of decadence and the raven-haired sorceress loved it. It was her weak spot. No way - and reason - to change that.

When Yennefer left the shop empty-handed that day, she knew exactly what Geralt had to give for her next birthday.

"Of course," Stanicek stated. "My lady, do you have any questions left? Remember. You have to obtain the crystal first before you participate in the major event. When you have it, activate it to record the whole scene so we're able to analyze it later. If you have done these two things for us till midnight, you'll have to leave the auction house through the back door and hand the crystal over to one of us. In return, he or she will lead you to the military cart and guarantee your departure. Understood?"

The entire undertaking sounded like a forlorn hope to Yennefer.

But waiting was not an option, either.

Ciri was still out there and certainly needed her help.

"Let's do this."
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Wet Cherry of Truth