The Witcher: Aethan of Cidaris

Chapter 10: Slipping Between The Cracks

(Author's note:)

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This chapter covers content that - as the title said - slipped through the cracks. So expect a myriad of different POVs and various characters and at various points in the story.

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(Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia)

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Twenty-six hours of hard labor that’s what her dalliance with King Aethan of Cidaris had gotten her, and with it… came two beautiful children, some would consider them bastards, but if she said they were legitimate, then that’s what they’d be. None would question her within the walls of Lyria and Rivia, but others would undoubtedly talk outside of her realm.

It concerned her little, but it was a concern nonetheless. Even so, legitimate or not, she'd love them all the same. Naturally, Aethan could never be revealed as the father, not whilst his wife and Foltest were alive. Foltest would have to respond because the dalliance she had had with Foltest's daughter's husband had produced children. Her twins were now a threat to the offspring of Aethan and Adda. Her cousin would never target her, but Aethan would face consequences. Foltest could place troops on their borders, demand the return of Gors Velen, or place an embargo on Cidarian goods. An Embargo would be crippling to the Cidarian Economy. Even with the Cintran Merchants on their side, Temeria was one of their largest trade partners, and the betrothal between Aethan and Princess Adda had only made the relationships between the two Kingdoms even stronger.

‘’My Queen? Have you thought of a name for the Prince and Princess?’’ Asks her midwife, interrupting her thoughts.

‘’Hugo and Calanthe.’’ She decides she'd like to name Hugo Mathen, but that could endanger the secret of their father. No, better to stick to her family tree.

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(POV Shift: King Foltest of Temeria)

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Adda seemed to be happy with her marriage to Aethan…

He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to feel, but there was some comfort in knowing she was happy. The Temerian Nobility however had begun to question his succession, which made the issues with the la Valletes all the more important to resolve. Adda was the only child he knew for certain was his, until Mary-Louisa la Vallete confirmed it, he'd have no heirs unless children by Adda were born and Aethan agreed to let one of them inherit Temeria. At which point, he'd need to groom the child for ruling Temeria and he’d need to arrange a suitable marriage to tie the boy to one of his more powerful vassals for the political benefits and have the boy ingratiate himself to his vassals.

It’d be a long and arduous process, one that would take years and a great deal of effort to make successful, a process that Foltest wished he’d have performed in hindsight. But a task he was willing to now try to correct if he was provided the means and opportunity to do so.

He hoped that he would be able to avoid open war with the la Valletes, because while they were a comparatively minor family, they were nevertheless a well respected and influential family, and it would cost him a lot to take any action against them. Too much in the short term. Aethan would help him mitigate his losses, but that would be more because of the influence Adda had on him than anything else.

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(POV Shift: Leo Bonhart)

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