Yennefer & Tissaia: Within Lilac Eyes

Tissaia de Vries

In Aretuza Tissaia was growing increasingly more worried about the brewing conflicts in the continent. The kingdoms wanted more power, though most would not dare to do anything about it yet, eventually, they would. Tissaia knew the day would come when war knocked on her door, so she remained ready. Her students kept her busy most days, yet her focus shifted after having heard rumors that King Virfuril had grown tired of his wife's inability to provide him with a male heir. He planned to have The Queen and their newly born child killed. If the rumors were true, Tissaia wished to intervene, though such a thing was considered unacceptable in the eyes of The Brotherhood.

Tissaia knew that the only reason she even considered going against The Brotherhood was Yennefer. She was the mage currently assigned to Aedirn and King Virfuril, she could very well be caught in the middle of this, she most likely would be. Tissaia's heart always had a soft spot for Yennefer, she just hoped that if she decided to leave, she was not too late.

Tissaia spent hours inside her head trying to think of what to do. She realized that by the time she had decided on a course of action, Yennefer might already be dead. She could not afford to waste more time, quickly she conjured up a portal and was just about to leave when she heard a knock on her door.

"Yes?" she asked, clearly not pleased about the disturbance.

"Excuse me, Rectoress, you have been summoned," the girl said while trying her best to avoid eye contact. "By Stregobor," she quickly finished. Tissaia would normally have scolded her for daring to interrupt her, then not having the courage to look at her. The girl was lucky, she was not in the mood. She sighed, she had no interest in whatever it was Stregobor had to say, he always had an opinion on matters not concerning him.

"Tell him I will be right down." Tissaia shut the door ending the conversation. The girl hurried away anxious to deliver the message.

Tissaia walked down the hallway wondering what the meeting with Stregobor might be about. Possibly about the growing conflicts? That could be it, or it could be something else entirely. There was no point in wondering, she would find out soon enough.

The Queen had been killed. Tissaia felt her heart speeding up, she was too late. She failed her, she failed Yennefer.

"What about the child?" she asked, her stone-cold face not showing a hint of emotion.

"The child was nowhere to be found, he or she is presumed dead," Stregobor said, not at all fazed by the situation.

If the child was never found, there was still hope. There was the possibility that Yennefer fought off the assailants and saved the child, Tissaia felt herself starting to relax again.

"King Virful has sent out word that Yennefer of Vengerberg has abandoned her position as court mage, committing treason against Aedirn," Stregobor continued, clearly disgusted thinking about Tissaia's former student.

Yennefer was not popular after refusing to go to Nilfgaard all those years ago, which resulted in Fringilla going instead. Tissaia was getting more and more frustrated by the minute. It was already a difficult situation, Yennefer being accused of treason did not help in the slightest. Tissaia could not help but blame herself, she acted too late with the information given to her, had she gone right away it could have been avoided. She could still help, she knew she could. If she left right away she could track Yennefer's magic, it was not easy, but it could be done. She knew that time was of the essence, she excused herself and prepared to leave. Just as she neared her study she was once again interrupted.

"What is it," Tissaia said as Stregobor stood before her.

"I just wanted to see if you are feeling alright, you seemed a little..." he looked at her for a few seconds before continuing. "a little disturbed in there," he said whilst smiling.

Disturbed? She was positive that she did not show any sort of emotion what so ever, he was simply trying to ruffle her feathers, he would not succeed, she did not have time for whatever game he was playing.

"I am feeling nothing of that sort, I am just too busy to pay attention to such matters." She turned away and started walking, Stregobor did not stop her. He chuckled to himself and headed for his study. If he had any idea of what she was planning on doing, he did not reveal it. She could only hope he would stay out of her way, but deep down she knew better than to hope for such things.

A few minutes later she arrived at the location where the Queen's body had been found. Such a mess. She was relieved that the child was not there, which made the possibility of her theory being true so much more likely.

Yennefer was alive, she had to be. She could only hope that all was well with her, both in body and mind, though she had her doubts. Things had always been rather difficult when it came to Yennefer, always balancing the line between control and just pure utter chaos, as Tissaia herself did many years ago. Perhaps she had been too hard on her, but it was for her own good. She needed someone to guide her when she was acting more like a child rather than a powerful sorceress, someone who told her to suck it up and forget about the hurt she was feeling, if not she might drown in it.

Focused on the task at hand, she tried to imagen Yennefer, to imagen where her chaos might have taken her. She felt it in the back of her skull and at the top of her fingertips. Most would not have sensed an ounce of Yennefer's magic, let alone know where it vanished off to. Tissaia was not most; she was the Rectoress of Aretuza, one of the most powerful mages in the entire continent. If that wasn't enough, she knew Yennefer, she knew her magic. Still, it was no easy task, it would take up some of her strength, but she had plenty to spare if it meant finding Yennefer.

She landed with a splash, her hands instantly moved in alarmed motion to keep her above water. She swam towards the shore, her wet dress making it harder to stay afloat, exhausting her in the process. Tired and cold she sat down in the sand, unaware that Yennefer had done the same not too long ago.

A few minutes of rest wouldn't hurt, so she closed her eyes and tried to rest her mind, but failed to do so.

You must focus much harder when teleporting, Yennefer... The ocean is never a good place to land, my blue dress is all wet now, she thought, too worried to be angry. Rest assured, she would have plenty of time to be angry later.

Exactly four minutes later she decided her rest was over. She got up and started moving. Must you make it so difficult for anyone to find you? For me to find you? She groaned, it was already nightfall and she was more drained than she thought she would be. Worrying was not doing her any favors, but the more she thought about Yennefer, the more riled up she got. How dared she? How dared she..? She made Tissaia care for her, then she took her heart with her when she left.

Tissaia knew she was making no sense, all her girls had to leave at some point, it was her job to teach them, to prepare them for the rest of their lives.

She had been walking for what felt like hours before reaching a small town, it was the perfect place to get some rest for the night. She sighed happily to herself. She felt dirty and was in great need of a bath, or two.

She entered the local inn, The White Knight it was called, such a unique name, she sarcastically thought. She walked over to the man she assumed was the owner.

"one room, just this night." She said, giving her best smile, there was no need to scare the locals just yet.

While waiting for her room to be ready, she overheard a conversation happening behind her.

"She looks like a mess," an older woman whispered. She wore a long grey dress, her brown eyes tired, like they had been awake for too long, seen too much. Tissaia did not care in the least about what the locals said, but she agreed, she did look like a mess. Still, a bath and some rest would change that rather quickly.

"I think she's a witch," came the answer from the woman seated next to her, she was a lot younger, yet her eyes looked even more tired than the first.

"Another one? I hope not, those terrible creatures bring nothing but trouble," the old woman replied, now they had Tissaia's attention. She turned around so fast it almost gave her a whiplash, marched over to the women, looked them straight in the eyes and sharply said; "Where might I find this witch? Answer me honestly or lose your tongue."