The Traveler: Part 1

Chapter 9

"I'd offer to teleport you, but..." said Triss as she, Ciri and Iespeth walked to the docks preparing to part ways. Triss had paid for both their fairs, as money was hardly an issue for her.

"Yeah. I know. Hopefully the ship will reach Hengfors quickly and then we will continue on foot the rest of the way."

Besides the fact that Ciri's special abilities tended to warp the portals of all but the most talented sorcerers, it would take an extensive series of teleportations for such a distance, at which Triss would need to be present, * in order to reach the vicinity of Kaer Morhen. Even then, a large portion of the way would have to be traveled by foot. Some old sorcerer, whose name had long been forgotten, had strategically placed protective wards in the foundation of the massive fortress at the time of its construction. This made standard teleportation within a 30 kilometer radius almost always an unsuccessful event.

One of the few who had no trouble overcoming such obstacles was Ciri herself. But teleporting, unless it was truly necessary, was not an option. Anyone who was properly trained could sense from — and to — where she teleported, so Ciri avoided using her 'gift' at all costs. One never knew who was 'listening'. She hadn't used her power since destroying the White Frost and found she got along quite well without it.

Ciri had discussed the issue of Iespeth in great length with Triss the night before. She decided she would take her to Kaer Morhen for the winter, as at the moment, there was no place for her at the academy considering her inability to communicate. Triss assured her that she was capable of speaking and just needed some formal teaching. She hoped the extensive library at Kaer Morhen would be adequate to teach someone with the particular needs of her new ward.

"Ciri, I can't stress this enough. We know she has the potential for magic. I don't know to what extent, but that burning sensation was not normal. If you ever notice her go into a trance, you need to seek the help of a trained and experienced mage. Keira should suffice for a short while but it may be possible she will eventually need someone with more know-how."

Triss was never one to overestimate herself, which is why many years ago Yennefer was summoned to help Ciri, who frequently fell into such trances.

"And if she never falls into a trance?" asked Ciri, looking over at Iespeth, who was busy fidgeting with her cinch. Triss had had her personal seamstress come and custom fit an outfit for the elf.

Many times was she forced to remind the talented seamstress that she was dressing a woman who would be on the road and needed to look inconspicuous. They finally settled on a brown pair of pants made out of cotton blended with a trade-secret material to make the item of clothing stretch. On her torso Iespeth wore a thick blouse and over that she had a well cut draw-string leather vest reaching down below her hip bones, meant primarily to keep her small but rather adventurous bosom under control. "Inconspicuous," Triss repeated, to the point that everyone in the room grew tired of the word. She had a point though, as men tended to treat a woman's erect nipples as an invitation rather than simply a reaction to the cold or a high-pitched sound.

On her waist she wore a wide cinch, * the inner part lined with lambskin and the outer adorned with a light-weight, flowing cloth hanging down over her butt to her knees. Due to the she-elf's frequent fidgeting, the cloth tended to cover only half of her right butt cheek and a small portion of her left outer thigh. The only garment that stood out as elegant was her leather deer-skin boots, which would look standard once worn in a bit. Finally and most importantly, the elf wore a dark green cowl covering her head, shoulders, and most importantly her ears. It was designed to be comfortable worn down or on her head.

Triss answered Ciri's question."Well if she never goes into a trance, I suppose there is nothing to worry about then. But just so you know, there is always a place for her at the academy."