Hellfury

Chapter 22: Cahir

Cahir waited, sitting on the same barrel as before, although, with a bit more patience. He heard Auri ramble away with Jaskier in the bar above and smiled. She hadn't spoken to anyone but him and the couple at the inn. It must be nice for her to not have to see his face for a bit. He feared she'd grow tired of it.

He heard her walk up the creaking stairs and braced himself when the bard appeared on top of the ladder.
'I've closed up for the evening.. It's safe. Thank the gods you smell better than last time.'
Cahir rolled his eyes and climbed up the ladder. He had meant to thank him, thank him for his help and the hospitality but the severe look on the bard's face when Cahir looked at him made him stop halfway up on a stool.

'What?'
'I have some news I'm not entirely sure you're prepared for. The least I could do was to keep an eye out. For her,' he nodded to the ceiling.
'What is it?' Cahir said and braced himself. Jaskier poured him a tankard of ale and held it out to him. As he spoke, Cahir's mouth fell open.
'Gallatin? Are you fucking serious?' he gaped. Fucking Gallatin?
'Mhm. Very serious. According to the rumors Emhyr gave him your position. Nilfgaard has allied with the elves and are currently licking their wounds.'
'Why?'
'They tried to take Thanedd Island. It didn't go well. Mostly because the rectoress unleashed her fiery self on the army. Stregobor burnt half of the remaining ones, Geralt is currently laying half-dead in Brokilon, and Yennefer, well-' he took a breath. 'Yennefer is Yennefer.'
'They allied with the elves because of Gallatin then?' Cahir continued. It made sense. Emhyr had lost a general. He needed a new one, what better choice than a fucking scoia'tael.
'Fringilla was there too. Fighting with the elf queen and Filavandrel.'
'Fringilla?' Cahir raised a brow. He'd thought her to be dead. He had heard nothing of her since that day in the throne room. Since he watched the guards drag her away and promise her an eternity of misery. He was glad she was alive. She'd also paid the price for their combined scheming.

'Have you heard anything about Temeria, Aedirn or Auri?' Cahir asked and straightened on the stool.
'Foltest has closed his borders, Aedirn has a new court-mage. Redania is plotting their own schemes and as for the selkie,' Jaskier moved closer to him. 'She is safe here. Triss hasn't told a soul. The mages may suspect it's her, but they have no proof. The last they heard of her she was fleeing Sodden followed by a band of Nilfgaardians.'
'Good,' Cahir said and meant it-
'But!' Jaskier interrupted and kept his voice low. 'They will find out. I have no idea why her face isn't plastered all over the city. She is wanted as much as you, she is safe here, yes. But not for long. You have to get her out of here.'

'That has always been the plan, bard!' Cahir said and tried to keep his patience. What the fuck did he think he was doing? Parading Auri around in front of Nilfgaardian soldiers for fun? Painstakingly making his way to Oxenfurt to what? Admire the view?
'I can see the insults forming. No wonder she stabbed you,' Jaskier quipped and refilled his goblet.
'You thought I'd come here without a plan? Have you lost your mind?' Cahir asked and genuinely wondered. Jaskier winked.

'I was annoying you on purpose. I know you care about her. Tell me the plan.'
Cahir stood from the stool, placed his fist behind his back and started pacing.'She has to get to Skellige. That was her plan all along. She fled Sodden after the fire. She was followed by soldiers and killed them. More of them followed her while I was captured-'
Jaskier's brow rose in question and Cahir nearly sent a chair flying.
'No I didn't send them after her. I didn't even know she existed until I got the mission forced down my throat!' he said and resumed his pacing.
'She fled across the border to Temeria, managed to scrape a living off of King Foltest. He refused to pay her, he only warned her to keep her fires outside of his kingdom. She still killed every Nilfgaardian scout crossing into his lands, helping him whether she knew it or not.'

'And then you?' Jaskier pointed a ringed finger at him.
'Her slaughtering his soldiers seemed to irk Emhyr. He wanted me to bring him her head, if I did I'd get my station back. It was so very simple. I just had to find her, kill her and return. He promised me that everything I had lost would be mine again.'
'He tried to ally with the North then?' Jaskier said and poured himself another drink.
'That's a nice word for invasion. Foltest was to accept or be invaded. None of the scouts reached the King, as you well know. Because the beast upstairs kept killing them all.' Jaskier stayed silent as Cahir continued. He only moved to refill his goblet, and Cahir's.
He told him everything up until he got to the burning field. He knew the rest. Most of it, that was.'And now you're what, a fugitive?' Jaskier finished and laughed.