The Witcher: Aethan of Cidaris

Chapter 12: Pilgrimage to Skellige, Part 1

(Castle Cidaris, Duchy of Cidaris, Kingdom of Cidaris, Northern Kingdoms, The Continent, Witcher-Verse)

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(King Aethan I Jaenerys of Cidaris POV)

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Aethan was in his Castle, watching the city and Harbor below him. Cidaris was largely peaceful right now, and he had taken the opportunity to arrange a meeting with Crach an Craite, and King Bran. It was March right now, and he had till June when everything kicked off. Meaning he had exactly two months to spare on a pilgrimage to Skellige. He would've liked to make the trip by sea, but that would take him a month he simply did not have. Thus he'd be making the trip by Portal.

It'd been arranged that he'd arrive at Kaer Trolde with his Sorceress, a portion of his elite guard, but Adda would be left behind. She was his voice in the Kingdom, and she would be entrusted to the Priestesses of Freya for the remainder of her pregnancy and as soon as the war began, she and the children would be sheltered by the Priestesses.

Or such was his hope.

He doubted they'd deny him, outside of Skellige he was the only King who openly practiced his faith in Freya. That gave the Priestesses and Druids a place of refuge from the wider superstitious North. And the High Priestess had come to his wedding to provide blessings and form an official branch of their clergy within Cidaris.

But as much as the Pilgrimage was his primary reason for going to Skellige, he needed to appraise an Craite and Tuirseach of the coming War, meet with the Priestesses, and ask them to care for his wife and protect her during wartime. Only after that, could he do a Pilgrimage to Freya’s Temple and Garden. He'd be able to tackle meeting the priestesses and his Pilgrimage to Freya's temple in one visit probably. The Garden was another matter altogether.

He didn't know whether or not Morkvarg was there or not. If he was there, he'd give the Priestesses a prophecy. Basically what that prophecy would be is the destruction of a village, a forest flattened with a cataclysm following, and a Sorceress and a Witcher seeking entry to the Garden. The Witcher would be the one destined to lift Morkvarg's curse. Either with the help of the only raider disgusted by his captain's actions or the priestesses.

‘’So deep in thought are?’’ He heard the Voice of Keira Metz ask him as she entered wearing a lovely dress that seemed more filled out than usual. And by filled out, he meant it was likely adjusted to be more suited to the coming temperatures to be encountered in Skellige. Of All the Northern Kingdoms, those with the harshest winters were Skellige, Cidaris, Hengfors, Lyria, and Rivia, Mahakam, and Kaedwen. Actually, it was fairer to say that Kaedwen and Lyria, and Rivia had the harsher winters the closer or deeper the territory in the hills or mountains that one was. Otherwise, they were relatively mild. Hengfors had the same deal.

‘’Visualizing what I need to do. I'm going for a pilgrimage, yet my goal is sidelined by the need to apprise Crach an Craite and King Bran.’’ Says Aethan.

‘’Don't fret darling, it will all be over quickly. After that, we can get you to that Pilgrimage you seem so intent on doing.’’ Says Keira soothingly.

‘’Don't let Adda hear you call me that, she's naturally jealous of Zaoirya already. Though that is to be expected.’’ Says Aethan with a chuckle.

‘’That's to be expected, Temerian's don't like to share.’’ Says Keira.

‘’I thought that was women in general.’’ Aethan says.

‘’That too…up until a point.’’ Keira admits.

‘’Well, either way, is everything ready?’’ He asks her.