ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ (Geralt of Rivia)

xxɪ.

ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ: xxɪ.

The army rode out the next morning. Thazina had watched them ride from the window of her bedchamber and felt a sinking feeling in her heart. This would be where Eist met his end. She was certain of it. She had shaken his hand before he left, giving a tense smile. And then they all had gone, armor glinting in the light of the rising sun.

She would have hugged him if it wouldn't have raised suspicions.

She acted as if she felt no pain watching Cirilla embrace her grandfather for the last time.

Thazina stayed with Cirilla and Mousesack, watching the princess pace the length of her room when she had decided she'd been contained there long enough.

"Not fair that I'm trapped here," Cirilla stated.

"I could magically put you to sleep, Princess," Mousesack offered without even looking up from his book, his tone saying he wanted to do exactly that. Cirilla froze, staring him down until he backtracked. "Just an idea."

"It's been two days," Cirilla said.

"For you and everyone else in the castle," Mousesack replied. "The King and Queen ordered us to remain here, and that's what we shall do."

Cirilla sighed, conceding that point, her eyes falling to Lazlo as she searched for a new topic to argue. "And why are you not there? Wherever they are."

"My duty is to protect you," said Lazlo patiently.

"You're resentful of that burden," she stated.

"It's the greatest honor of my life."

Cirilla rolled her eyes, scoffing. "You two are incredibly boring. Thaz, do something exciting," she said, rounding on the mage.

"I could magically put you to sleep," Thazina answered with a smirk.

Cirilla groaned, grabbing Mousesack's book out of his hands.

He sighed, straightening in his seat, finally setting his eyes on her. "Many, many years ago, sorcerers were known to lock little girls in towers. I'm beginning to understand why."

"You know cautionary tales don't work on me," Cirilla said.

Mousesack ignored that comment, rising to his feet and continuing his tale. "The girls were said to be cursed. They were said to announce the end of the human race."

"Ooh," Cirilla stated, rolling her eyes.

Mousesack lowered his voice, annoyance at the girl rising. "So they were systematically killed. The end."

Cirilla hesitated, looking at him, searching for the lie in his face but not finding it. She sighed, lowering her head.

Thazina moved to sit beside Cirilla, squeezing her shoulder gently as the girl asked in a quiet voice, "Will my grandmother be all right?"

"You will be all right, Princess," Mousesack answered after a moment's pause. "You are her blood. And the apple never falls far from the tree."

Cirilla's eyes moved to Thazina. "Look for her in your dreams tonight. If she isn't back, I mean."

Thazina nodded. "Of course, Princess." She offered a wavering smile. "But I'm sure all will be well. Your grandmother is a strong woman."

But Nilfgaard was stronger, Thazina knew that. Strong enough to corrupt Fringilla. Strong enough to take kingdom after kingdom.

Strong enough to think that they could win a fight against Cintra.

Thazina returned to her own seat, bringing her legs up, resting her chin on her knees as she gazed out the window, closing her eyes, willing her mind to find Calanthe in the chaos.

She was on the battlefield. It was hectic and bloody. She saw Calanthe and Eist and Danek, giving the fight their all. Cintran soldiers lying dead on the grass, their blood dark in the early morning sun. And she saw more Nilfgaardian troops arriving, their flags waving in the breeze. "We're losing!" Eist cried, and that was certainly right.

"The ships from Skellige?" Calanthe shouted back at him.

"There's been a storm, Your Majesty," answered Danek. "No one's coming!"

"Then we fight alone. We cannot surrender Cintra!" Calanthe urged.

"Nor will we!" said Eist.

And that was when the arrow flew through his eye.

Thazina's eyes flew open. She scrambled into a sitting position, biting hard at her lip, trying not to let Cirilla or Mousesack or Lazlo see her fear.

So Eist was dead. She had known it would happen, and yet it still did not feel real. Her visions always came to pass, but a strange part of her had hoped that Eist might live.

She felt eyes on her and glanced up to see Cirilla, watching her silently.

She managed to smile. "Come sit, Princess. It's a lovely morning, we can appreciate it from inside."

Cirilla raised an eyebrow, but did as told, letting Thazina move aside to let her sit.

"What was your last vision?" Cirilla asked.

Thazina kept her smile on her face, a mask she was certain Cirilla could not see through as she thought of it. Mousesack, dead. "My latest vision was of you, Princess."

Cirilla's expression said that she wanted more and so Thazina continued. "You were safe. Isn't that all that really matters, in the end? Your safety is paramount, Cirilla."

"I suppose," Cirilla muttered.

Thazina sighed, wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulders. "It will be all right, dear girl. I swear, it will be all right."

It wouldn't be.

But as if Thazina could tell her that.