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Salty Gift of the Devil	By : uztre Category: +S through Z > Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Views: 20135 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
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
- 4
- 5
Summary:
Triss and Priscilla survive the fiend "attack" and meet up with Aurelia. Together, they decide to head for the place called Pretty Witch. When they arrive there, Triss is confronted not only by new challenges as a whore but also someone who she thought was dead for years. And there is also Zoltan who is of the party too this time...
Word count: 6173
Tags: no sex
"Aurelia? Are you alright?" Triss asked the high-class prostitute whose blue eyes were gaping wide open with an empty gaze and a ball between her lips. Her body was stiff, hands tied behind her back while her knees were flexed, touching the stone floor. "Aurelia!"
"I think she is in shock, Triss," Priscilla stated after putting her clothes on, covered in fiend semen leaking down to the ground. "Slap her face. That will help."
Triss looked at her troubadour friend, expression frowning, then did what she proposed by taking a big swing with her palm and giving her a firm but friendly slap. The clash resounded through the cave hall immediately, but Aurelia still didn't move a bit.
Priscilla looked over to Triss, obviously not understanding why it didn't work, as Aurelia began screaming bloody murder with her eyes still fixated on an empty spot somewhere in the darkness. Reflexively, the redhead slapped Aurelia's cheek once more, this time a much less firm and rougher. Her deed had a visible effect and the blond beauty twitched and shook her head, looking straight into Triss and then Priscilla's eyes. As she seemed to understand where she was and what happened, she panicked even more and fell backward.
"Easy, easy. Aurelia calm down. Let me remove the ball and the robes. Hold still."
It was easier said than done. Aurelia was scared to death and tried to flee but didn't come far before she stumbled and dashed headlong onto the ground.
"Hold her, Priscilla, until I got her free. She can't think straight."
After some awkward moments, both girls achieved to handle Aurelia's outburst and free her from her immobile state. Despite her smeared face with black mascara and makeup, and her dried-up streams of tears covering her cheeks and eyelids, she seemed fine and unharmed.
"YOU!" the blond barked instantly, pointing at Triss. "Barrett... My life... it's over... I'm dead... No!... Shit!... Mama!..." Aurelia jabbered, panicking again, then furiously gazed at the red-haired sorceress. "YOU are marked you fucking cunt!"
"What!? What the hell are you talking about?" Triss countered angrily. Aurelia ignored the red-haired sorceress question and appeared confused. "Where am I?! What is this place?"
Priscilla and Triss exchanged glances.
"In the sewers of Novigrad. Where have you been before?"
Aurelia's eyes wandered from one spot to the other. "I-I... I remember talking to the witch hunter officer and waiting for him in his personal quarters. Then... then it got really cold and the wine in my mug poured up to the ceiling with all the things in the place including my chair... and me..." Her voice became more hollow by the second. "The very ground and building trembled. I thought I was going to die... I couldn't breathe any longer. Then I saw it... him."
Aurelia looked up with a white face, lips quivering.
"I saw... Death."
A shiver ran down Triss and Aurelia's spine. It wasn't what the blond prostitute said that made her statement sound eerie but how. Now everyone was confused and afraid at the same time.
"Triss?" Priscilla said carefully. "I think we should go. I don't know about you but I don't feel really safe here. Especially after what happened here and she just said to us."
"And what's with her? She betrayed me to the Witch Hunters. I don't wanna have her around."
Suddenly, Aurelia jumped off and pitched into Triss, pulled her red hair and scratched her skin over her C-cup tits. Screaming in pain, the red-haired sorceress tried to dodge some of her attacks and motions, but every time she achieved to push one strike away, Aurelia came up with another and the situation turned into a catfight.
"YOU destroyed my life, YOU SORCERESS WHORE! DIE!!!"
"NOT BEFORE I KILL YOU!!!" barked Triss back, punched the two-braided elven girl on her stomach. They turned around, now with Aurelia bracing against the floor and Triss choking her.
"ENOUGH!" Priscilla yelled and pulled Triss off, stopping her from counter-attacking Aurelia again by breaking up the fight. "Stop it already. Aurelia, Triss, both of you. Girls STOP!"
The troubadour's harsh tone surprised both women and made them back off. Aurelia snorted disdainfully, pulled up her black silk knee-high socks, readjusted her high-waisted skirt and her dark red cropped belly sweater with long sleeves. Although her makeup was totally boned, the beautiful elf was still emitting an aura of classy attractiveness and depravity.
"Matching collars you both are wearing by the way. Worthless Cumbucket and Public Fuckmuffin'. How creative..."
"Shut up, slut, before I burn you to ashes and piss on your remains!" Triss hissed after checking her prostitute outfit. It felt like years ago when she slipped on the pair of tight white shorts, its top started an inch and a half below her belly button and was held shut by a little gold button just above the zipper and ended at the point where the back of her thighs began to shape into her ass, roughly at the same height in the front, hugging each leg tightly.
The redshirt Triss used to wear was a long-sleeved plaid button-up, and still intact after the fiends'... attack. But instead of buttoning any of the buttons, the red-haired sorceress had rolled the bottom half of the shirt up to her ribs, wrapped it like a bra under each of her breasts, and then tied it in a knot in the middle. The end result was a huge amount of cleavage. About a half of each big tit was visible at the base of the knot, but the shirt widened all the way up to her neck. The knot rested between her large tits as a centerpiece.

Triss' full waist - from the top of the shorts below her belly button, to just below her breasts - was completely naked. The sleeves were loosened and rolled up to her elbows, and she had on a pair of comfortable five-inch leather heeled ankle boots and white thigh-high thin socks including garter straps and the mandatory yellow ribbon around the right thigh. Her carrot red hair was tied in two buns. The outfit was still screaming 'fuck me hard and rough please!' and Triss wouldn't prefer to have it the other way. She lived up to her given nickname of a worthless cumbucket and she had accepted her new place in the world.
All magic and her former status of royal councilor aside, Triss was a nothing more than a street whore now... or used to be. With the Witch Hunter's interference, she had lost this last foothold of her former life and last chance to make some money to save her friends. She couldn't even call her a wench anymore. Such women were socially and economically superior to her. Finally, Triss had arrived at the deepest point of her life. In the sewers, she was considered as no one.
As nothing...
"Enough. Let's just move on the place Pretty Witch and solve this dispute there. Shall we?"
Rage and disappointment rushed through Triss' body, who wanted to hear some answer and reasons why she was in this mess now. "You mentioned the name Barrett, Aurelia. Who is he? Spit it out! Or we will leave you here. Alone."
Surprisingly, Aurelia just chuckled and shook her head. "Bitch is marked and she doesn't even know it. What a fucked world we normal people are living these days. If Barrett hasn't told you who he is, then I will certainly not do it myself."
"And why did you report me to the Witch Hunters?!"
"Because this is what I always do to wannabe bitches who think they deserve better!"
"You didn't know who she really was, right?" Priscilla tossed in.
Aurelia gave off a deep sigh and for the first time, Triss recognized a deep regret in her eyes.
"No, I didn't know. If I had known that Scarlett Greenstein was, in fact, Triss Merigold, an actual sorceress, I would have never contacted the Witch Hunters. This would be a really stupid idea and started an investigation. All girls including me would have lost their jobs and Cinia incarcerated for hiding a wanted heretic..."
"Then what was your idea anyway?" asked Triss this time.
"Usually, the Witch Hunters are sending a few men to the wannabe bitch I reported to them and this is enough to scare her off the business and the city. That's all. But this time, everything has gotten way out of hand and with the consequence that I must have forced Barrett to intervene himself... He won't forgive me until the end of my life. I am dead."
Tears began to run down Aurelia's cheeks. Triss believed her but she was still very angry.
"Whatever. Let's just get out of here before these creatures return. I'm sick of all this."
"The Pretty Witch shouldn't be so far away anymore. I think--"
"Follow me," Aurelia grunted and beckoned them. "I know where this place is. Come on."
Shortly bandying looks, Triss and Priscilla followed the blonde elf through several dark tunnels and auxiliary shafts. It appeared like Aurelia had been already here once. Luckily, there were no signs of monsters or other things ready to breed them.
"It seems to us that you know where we are right now. How is this possible?" Priscilla asked and jumped over a stream of scat and piss.
"Because I was born in the sewers before my mother achieved to escape this shithole."
"How?" asked Triss hopefully.
"She achieved to establish the first brothel here and became one of the first founders of the districts and zones."
"Districts?"
Aurelia rolled her eyes.
"Yes, districts. You know maybe that anarchy is ruling over the sewers of Novigrad. Well, that's true for about ninety-five percent of it. The remaining five percent is divided into different districts, or zones how people usually call them. The first and most important one is the green zone with the barracks where homeless people are living and the different trading venues. Regardless of who you are, the green zone is a safe place for everyone and any armed action completely forbidden. A death sentence."
"Why green?" Priscilla asked curiously.
"Because of the color on the tunnel walls fencing the zone in. It's magic and believe me when I say it is throwing bolts of fire and electricity if you violate the rules."
Triss' eyebrows arched as she asked herself to whom the color belonged to.
"And there is also the famous violet zone with the biggest streetwalker district on the continent. The daily working place of five-hundred wenches and desperate women. And the Pretty Witch considered as the pink zone... the only and most expensive and lucrative brothel of the continent as well, which clients from Ofir, Zerrikania and other wealthy nations are making use of its delicate and unique services. Lady Sabrina Glessivig is the Madam there."
"You must be wrong. Sabrina Glessivig is a former sorceress of the Lodge and crucified by King Henselt years ago. Someone must be clearly using her name to lure customers."
Aurelia ignored her and explained further, "Everything beyond these green, violet, and pink zones belongs to the red zone, or 'dead-sec' people say, which makes ninety-five percent of the sewer system as I mentioned before. In dead-sec, there are no rules or laws. The tunnels are in possession of gangs. In other words, it is a war zone where criminal organizations, drug and arms dealers, slavers, and terrorists are constantly contending for mastery."
"But why? I mean what is the purpose of being in control of empty tunnels beneath the city? What's the point?"
"The point is there are entrances to the sewers all over Novigrad's streets and back alleys. The control of specific tunnels can bring you a fortune, especially when we are talking about drugs and arms. The sewer system also lays the foundation for slavery. There is nothing a man can't get down here."
The next moment, all three girls entered a tunnel which was lit-up by torches on both sides. After walking along and passing the next corner, a group of armed men appeared in the distance and came close to their position, faster by the second.
"Shit. We better try our chance through the shaft three tunnels nearby. Com---"
Aurelia was interrupted as her back touched a man's torso and he grabbed her throat, pulled her to prevent her from running away. Shocked, Priscilla tried to yell but was muzzled by another man's palm and harsh grip. Triss was just about to cast a spell as the leader of the gang beat her and made her fall on to her knees with her tasty butt soaring and face kissing the dirty ground. Feeling dizzy, Triss didn't notice how the leader dropped his trousers and grabbed her hips to push his cock as deep as possible into her pink pussy, ready to rape her senseless while her friend and Aurelia had to watch before their own turns came.
"NOO!!!" Triss just heard Priscilla roaring. "HELP!!!"
The rapists broke out laughing, and then immediately stopped, looking into the next dark tunnel on the other side of the place where two points were sparkling through. Their expressions changed into fright. Triss' eyes moved up as an old man in priest clothes stepped through the darkness and slowly walked toward the abashed crowd, arms invisibly crossed. It lasted a little eternity when he finally stood in front of them and fatherly smiled.
"Gentlemen. Can I ask you what's going on here?"
"Father Kusak..." All armed men muttered at the same time and bowed respectfully, not few of them trembling. All girls seemed to be puzzled except for Aurelia who pushed herself free and rushed toward the priest, embracing him.
"Oh, my little Aurelia. Is that really you?"
"Yes, Father. I'm back, and I've brought some friends with me."
"Ah, I see," the priest said and gazed down at Triss who was still kneeling on all fours. "Please, let me help you up, my child. These men will not harm you in any way. You have my word."
Triss accepted the old man's offer and stretched hand, got up again and beckoned Priscilla to move her ass to hers. Something about the priest of the Holy Fire was confidence-inspiring and intimidating at the same time. The thugs around shrunk to little boys and looked like they were going to be punished.
"Father! We can explain this," the leader said, blushing like a tomato.
"Oh, my son. This is really not necessary. I can see what's supposed to happen here. You have met three beautiful women and decided to commit sins. That's all. The stronger always dominates the weaker. Like the Fire and Mother Nature has foreseen for all of us," Father Kusak stated and confused Priscilla and Triss, not Aurelia. "I just want to ask you kindly to attend my church next time so we can talk freely about rape, power, and dominance. Alright?"
The men nodded in approval and bowed their heads once more before leaving them behind. The situation was surreal and somehow creepy. Triss didn't understand why these men were so frightened about this old man but they must have their reasons. At the moment, they all could consider themselves lucky to not being sexually abused, enslaved, or worse.
"The youth these days..." Father Kusak chuckled. "Twenty-four hours horny and full of beans."
"Father, I don't wanna sound unthankful but we need to attend the Pretty Witch. Is there maybe the slightest chance you could accompany us? Otherwise, I get the feeling this won't be our last encounter with such gangs and criminals."
"Oh, what a coincidence, my child. That's the same place I was asked to visit too. Let's move on then and not waste more time than necessary in these dark tunnels."
Without exchanging any new word, the four left the recent tunnels and walked the direction the priest wearing a simple black frock guided them. Triss wanted to ask questions but hold herself back. However, the people's reactions when they passed them indicated enough information about the old man with ice-blue eyes. Each thug armed to the teeth and looking scarier than the one beside him bowed his head in honest respect or shook his hands, thanked him for reasons Triss nor Priscilla comprehended. The aura that surrounded and radiated him was worthy of a king. It was like these people were looking up to him, pining for his support.
The longer they moved, the brighter and more populated started the shafts and tunnels to become. Triss was surprised to see so many men, elves, dwarves, and halflings using Novigrad's sewers as a shelter and last resort. As they came across a crossroad, Aurelia uttered, "Look. Can you see the green color at the level of the torches? We made it. From here, it's not far away to the Pretty Witch."
The girls followed Father Kusak and became witnesses of more plain facts. First, they passed the residential part of the green zone. Poor people, families, and elders had built themselves their own homes and barracks, living side by side and beckoning to the priest with a warm smile. Second, Priscilla was amazed to see facilities like infirmaries, schools, soup kitchens, and churches along the several tunnels. The priests of the Holy Fire and priestesses of Melitele were distributing food and drinks, free and easy. Triss asked herself whether this could explain Father Kusak's popularity.
Minutes later, the color on the walls changed from green into pink and they were standing before a six-floored mansion in a massive hall, unlike anything they had seen so far. The building itself was made of massive stones and expensive woods, with a large glass door at the base and no guards seemingly in need of protecting it.
After Father Kusak pushed the door open, Triss and Priscilla's eyebrows arched and faces contorted in amazement. The first floor was spacious and decorated with pictures and expensive furniture queued in squares and spread all over the place. Men from different countries and cultures were sitting around and being served by women wearing nothing else than black lingerie, heels, and jewelry. Triss had seen many attractive and flawless women in Aretuza and thanks to magic, but this notched up the known performance. Every and each prostitute was a beauty herself and clearly a professional in her field. At the ceiling were hanging cut-glass, crystal chandeliers.
Aurelia didn't lie a bit when she said the Pretty Witch would be the biggest and most lucrative brothel in the continent...
"Thomas, you are late," a familiar voice resounded from the end of the room where a woman was sitting at a round desk. "As always."
"I'm not the youngest whelp anymore, Sabrina," Father Kusak countered friendly and walked toward the red-haired woman. As they crossed the entire floor, Triss had almost a coronary. Her jaw dropped. She thought her eyes must have been under a spell. Otherwise, the woman called Sabrina was the actual sorceress Sabrina Glessivig. This was impossible. Should be.
"And Triss Merigold of Maribor graces my little corner of debauchery here," Sabrina Glessivig said, unfazed. "Tell me, Triss, how is Yennefer doing? Still the spoiled bitch in heat, I guess."
"Sabrina... how is this possible?" Triss blurted out. "You were crucified by Henselt. Geralt even had to hold a ritual to lift your curse."
"Geralt? Wasn't that the witcher and lover of Yennefer?"
Triss gritted her teeth. This woman was obviously Sabrina and wearing a provocative outfit to underline her beauty the way she had usually done. She and Yennefer seemed to be rivals of a sort, though they both feigned friendship with each other and claimed to be the younger of the pair and took offense to be called former classmates. Speaking briefly, Sabrina could be a cold-hearted bitch as much like Yennefer.
"I don't want to interrupt this warm and friendly reunion of two friends, but I was called for an urgent meeting here," Father Kusak tried to break the icy look of both sorceresses' gazes. "Or shall I go and come later, Sabrina?"
"No. Since Triss is here, we can start with the meeting right off."
"Me?"
"Yes, pighead. You. Cinia is sending her regards. Follow me."
Confused and surprised to hear the name, Triss followed Sabrina who was wearing a skin-tight red dress and five-inch pumps. She looked as sexy and healthy as ever.
After a short moment, they entered a room with a long wooden table filled with food and drinks. On the left side were already sitting Cinia, another black-haired woman Triss didn't know, and to her utmost shock the Lieutenant of the Temple Guard who slipped the key of her dimeritium ankle bracelet into her pussy. Father Kusak sat on the top and Sabrina to his left.
As Triss moved over to Cinia to ask her what was going on, she felt someone poking at her back and saying, "Triss, are you okay? I was so worried after the witch hunter attack, and immediately came when Cinia asked for me."
"Zoltan?" the redhead muttered, happy to see him and embarrassed after their sexy evening together, especially how she treated him after that. Speechless, Triss looked back at him and pondered over the right words.
"Sit down, all of you. We have a lot to discuss. You can solve your personal problems later. I even have my own ones with that blond bitch you took along," Cinia ordered, her deadly eyes fell upon Aurelia, but Triss was just glad to avoid the necessary conversation with Zoltan for the moment, as everyone finally seated oneself next to the halfling madam of the Massive Oak.
"I was not my intention to make things more complicated, Cinia!" Aurelia blurted out. "If I knew your favorite girl was one of them, I'd have never gone to the Witch--"
"You piece of shit. I kill you myself!!!"
"Carthia stop her!" Sabrina yelled at the unknown, black-haired woman who retained the madam with all might.
"Enough of this female prattle! Hey, I said enough! Take it outside and later. I don't have so much time. CINIA! I am talking to you! Come on."
By the lieutenant's intervention, Cinia stopped her attack again but wasn't finished with Aurelia a bit. Her eyes shot fire bolts and teeth gritted in hate, telling that it wasn't over yet. Not by far.
"Triss, my child," Father Kusak snapped the chance to say something. "This is Stefan Skellen. He is our contact within the Witch Hunters, the Temple Guards, and the Nilfgaardian Secret Service... But I heard you already made acquaintance with him."
The red-haired sorceress nodded carefully, the feeling to run away still trembling in her core.
"And you probably know Carthia van Canten, alias Cantarella but Sasha now I guess?"
"That's correct, Father," Sasha smiled. "Triss, I am the head of Barrett's operations such as drug and arms dealing, human trafficking, and gambling in Redanian Territory, and Lan Exeter and Poviss. I must admit that I am really excited to work with you. Heard a lot of good things."
Everyone's eyebrows arched, including Priscilla and Zoltan's. This time, even Aurelia seemed to be impressed too about something she didn't know. Cantarella was a name Triss thought she had heard about once from Assire var Anahid who died in Loc Muinne...
"Excuse me when I sound rude or stupid but who is Barrett exactly? And where is Lady Irene van Engelsberg? Isn't she supposed to be here too?"
A stifled laughter went around.
"My child," Father Kusak said, smiling. "None of us here can tell you who Barrett really is. Only he himself. When the time has come, he will reveal his person and his intentions. For now, just try to get your own idea of him. I'm afraid the same goes for Irene."
"Barrett must be Mistress van Engelsberg's famous, secret donator, right? Everything else doesn't make sense. He has to be."
"Irene and Barrett are together, Triss. They always were. Even before Yennefer and I became students in Aretuza a century ago," Sabrina Glessivig stated.
"Then he must be a sorcerer of the Ban Ard Academy. What does he want from me?!"
"I don't know but you are only here because of me," Cinia revealed.
"What? No!" Triss disagreed. "The speaking creature who saved me in the sewers from the witch hunters. Then Mister Skellen's help in the girls' quarters. Then the redirection of my teleportation down here and right into Irene's old laboratory. And if all this wasn't enough, I also saw a shapeshifter in the form of an Alpha fiend before Aurelia appeared on the scene, babbling about Barrett and that I was marked by him. What the hell is going on here?!
"I cannot speak for the creature but I only helped you because I needed to protect Cinia and her brothel," Stefan Skellen conceded. "Barrett had nothing to do with it."
"But the teleportation--"
"Was Barrett's work, most probably, or I think it was, and unfortunately Aurelia's appearance here too." Cinia sighed in annoyance while looking at the blond prostitute. "But only because of our first deal together. The one in which you agreed to work as a wench and me looking for your missed friends in the meantime."
Triss furrowed her brow.
"Yes, but... how did he manage to redirect the magic stream of the portal down here?"
"When he has decided to speak with you in person, you can ask him that yourself," Sabrina added. "For now, we need to talk about your immediate future which is a thing of a much greater concern. Cinia, it's your turn."
The halfling madam looked up at the red-haired sorceress with serious eyes.
"Thanks to Aurelia's unbelievably idiotic behavior, the option to work for me in the brothel and on the streets of Novigrad is off the table. Caleb Menge initiated an investigation and only Barrett's personal influence is protecting me and my girls' lives from the Witch Hunter's arbitrariness. And because of what happened in Oxenfurt."
"Oxenfurt?"
"The same day the witch hunters attacked you in the docks, a huge number of them got wiped out in Oxenfurt a few hours later by an unknown demon. Caleb Menge just escaped with his life and is now dealing with much bigger problems than you. We don't know how, but Barrett achieved to cut us a break in this matter."
"But this isn't true for Priscilla and Triss, I guess?" Zoltan asked and raised his voice for the first time. "Maybe I can post bail, at least for my lovely Callonetta here."
Triss gazed at Zoltan angrily. What did he mean by saying lovely?
Stefan Skellen took a sip of wine. "It doesn't matter. Both are now considered as witches. It's not a matter of money but death."
"Nonetheless, I promised you that I would find your friends and bring them back, and I always try to keep my word as long as it's in possible reach," Cinia uttered. "That's why you are here and I offer you a new deal. The last way to bring all this to a happy ending."
Not knowing how she supposed to get out of all this mess and make money like before, Triss gave off a deep sigh and indicated Cinia to keep talking.
"Good. My idea is that you make the best of your situation and talents if you become your own madam here in the sewers and establish your own brothel in the red zone."
Zoltan almost spat out the entire beer and Aurelia's eyes gaped wide open in shock. "Are you mad?! She is a wench for almost a week and you think she is ready to open up her own brothel, and even here in the sewers, the deadliest place on the continent?!"
"There must be a reason why Barrett let you live, my child," Father Kusak explained. "I think this is the perfect way to redeem yourself."
"With all due respect Father, this is suicide." Aurelia's voice broke for a moment, near tears. "It is extremely hard to conduce a brothel toward success under legal circumstances. Down here, the first twenty-four hours decide whether you can live or have to die."
"That's why Zoltan is here," Cinia stated. The dwarf looked like he had no idea, and with him Triss as well.
"Err, what?"
"Your job is to protect them, be Triss' muscle. And you will officially act as her ruthless pimp while she unofficially leads the business. A necessary precaution."
All eyes moved to Zoltan sitting next to Priscilla and who was coughed and stroke his chest to not get drown because of the beer in the trachea. Triss couldn't explain why she hated and liked the idea at the same time. Something about Zoltan sending her to turn tricks and becoming his whore turned her incredibly on. The slutty part of her wanted this to happen, and it was almost what made her out today.
"By Melitele's tits, Triss doesn't need a man to protect her... I couldn't do that anyway."
"You have to do this Zoltan," Cinia stated energetically. "Triss will need someone she can entrust her life to and who has extensive combat experience... And don't even try to tell me you never wanted this to happen in your fantasies."
Zoltan's cheeks blushed sweetly.
"Oh, dammit, Cinia you are a damn beast and you know that... But only if Triss is okay with it."
"I'm okay with it!" Triss instantly agreed and made Priscilla chuckle girlishly.
"Good. With that problem out of the way, you should know that we have a specific place in the red zone in mind you could use. It is a tunnel which is connected to the surface by an empty building and warehouse in the harbor side of Novigrad. However---"
"It's surrounded by different hostile gangs and in the middle of a war zone," Sasha added. "In order to survive and gain access to the building, you will have to make deals and compel arrangements with the gangs. Your diplomatic skills will hopefully help you this time."
"Why can I just not simply turn tricks in the violet zone like any other woman?"
"Because," Aurelia explained surprisingly, "the average income per client is around fifty coppers, at best. You would never earn enough to break even. Not in one lifetime. There is a reason why the most desperate and poorest women are going hooking there."
"Triss, on the surface you were forced to follow rules and pay taxes for each provided service. Down here, you don't have anything or anyone dictating you how you should make money. In the sewers of Novigrad, you can get incredibly rich if you are willing to work hard for it."
"Or enslaved, eaten, slaughtered, and die trying..." Aurelia contradicted Cinia.
"It doesn't matter," Sabrina tossed in, "if she wants to save her friends' lives and to buy a ship to leave the city with them."
For a moment, silence fell over the place and Triss contemplated what Cinia and Sabrina had been trying to suggest here. And Aurelia's words were true too. But how much of choice remained after what happened on the docks?
"But you still don't know where the remaining girls are. It could last months---"
"I already found all of them," Stefan Skellen tossed in and handed over a paper. Triss instantly skimmed over the names and locations. It was worse than she thought. Much worse.
"As you already know Anisse, Berthold, and Annabelle ran into Whoreson's men in his arena and taken captive. According to my spies and NSS' intelligence, they are still here in Novigrad."
"And why are they still captive?" Triss asked reproachfully. "Why didn't you rescue them?"
"Because there is a gang war going on between Whoreson Junior and the other three major crime bosses. The Novigradian City Council and the Hierarch have ordered NSF and NSS to back off and not intervene in Whoreson's business. It's a matter of politics. My hands are tied."
"So you won't rescue them?"
"That's not what I said. I only indicated that I personally can't accomplish a rescue mission. However, a Spectre could, and I'm working on it BUT not for free. Keeping all the spies and informants is expensive and I haven't even charged Cinia for my own efforts. I'm really doing all this because she's been vouching for you and because of her word you will bear the costs."
Everyone looked at Triss in anticipation. The red-haired sorceress knew what the Lieutenant was trying to tell her and that she didn't have a choice here. When she refused to establish a brothel in the sewers AND to make much money, her friends were literally gone. Out of her reach. So, there wasn't much of choice actually. She had to accept no matter what the risks.
"How is the situation of the other girls?" Triss asked, indirectly proving others that she was accepting Cinia's offer. Sabrina, Sasha, and Father Kusak bandied looks.
"Going east in the sewers, Tarra and Ienna ran into a guy called Hammond, a skelliger slaver who transported them to Kaer Muire, a fortress and home base of the Clan Drummond and its leader, Jarl Madman Lugos. Possible proceeds will be expensive."
Priscilla gave off a little shriek at the sound of the Jarl's name.
"Sylviane and Tyeenna are tried to hide on a koviri ship. In order to protect the ship, a koviri mage subdued them and sold them a plantation owner in Ofir. Luckily, someone of trust is applied to buy and bring them back as soon as possible. This is the very best news I got for you right now."
"And Jacqueline and Alienor?" Triss asked impatiently, happy to hear about Sylviane and Tyeenna but fearing what was coming now.
"Everything I know about them is that they are seen entering a carriage heading to Toussaint. They even passed the borders but not long afterward got assaulted by creatures."
"What do you mean?"
Stefan Skellen furrowed his brow.
"All passengers died, their bodies drawn and quartered. All passengers except your friends. The official report says that they were abducted to one of the caves in the vicinity. Who knows why and where exactly. I'm working on it too but this is the situation right now. Hope this proves our honesty to keep our side of the bargain."
"Yes, it does," Triss replied, eyes still at the list and the names of her friends.
"Right now, you cost us a lot of money and you don't return anything," Sasha pointed out. "Cinia is bearing all your costs but all these findings and rescue attempts exceed her means by far, which means I have to vouch for her expenses too with unpredictable risks for the entire consortium. I need proof of repetitive cash flows."
"What have you in mind, my child?"
"Father, I am ready to give Stefan the go-ahead for his work IF Triss can prove me after a week that the brothel is successfully established, yields profit, and its connected to the warehouse in the harbor side with or without the arrangements of the existing gangs. IF Triss has achieved all these things, then Stefan will have my permission to undertake real actions to save her friends. Not before."
The redhead swallowed and took a sip of wine while everyone was looking at her once more. They expected to hear a promise from her.
"Alright. It's not like I have much of choice..."
"If this is Lady Merigold's last decision, then the green district will give his consent on this plan," Father Kusak stated and showed Triss respect by bowing his head.
"And the pink district as well," Sabrina Glessivig added.
"You can do this, Triss. I totally believe in you and your talents. And as much as I hate the idea that Aurelia is still alive, I think Barrett decided well to surrender her fate into your hands," Cinia smiled at the red-haired sorceress and then gave Aurelia a deadly glimpse. "Make use of her skills and knowledge as much as possible."
"I will. Thank you, Cinia. Again. Without you, I would have died countless times already."
Sasha and Father Kusak stood up and made themselves ready to go, as Sabrina proposed Triss and the others to spend the first night to eat, to take a bath and to rest. Tomorrow morning, they would be having a hard row to hoe.
Triss accepted gladly, taking the chance to have a talk with Sabrina in person.
And there was Zoltan too...
Oh, it was going to be a rough night, indeed...
- 4
- 5
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Salty Gift of the Devil