abraxaslogs | October Catchall

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October Catchall

WHO: Jon Snow & OTA
WHAT: Brooding in the Horizon, trying to get settled in the Free Cities
WHEN: October
WHERE: The Free Cities | The Horizon

I. Horizon

[Since returning to his particular place in the Horizon, there had been some minor changes. Gone were the dragons that flew in the distance, gone was the White Direwolf that had followed Jon around and gone was the Giant that had been building a wall around Jon's camp. The illusion of the world had been removed when the memories had returned, so there was no need to sprinkle his corner with elements from Westeros. He wasn't in the mood to see them and he didn't want painful reminders of everything he was sorting through in his head.

Some elements of Horizon camp remained. He could hunt shadowcats and build camp fires like before, only now the snow seemed to come down more aggressively. Leather, skins, hair, it would become damp in an instant before freezing in the cold temperatures. Jon preferred the cold, it was familiar but not in a painful way. It was easier to fight the snow and ice than it was his irritations and impatience.

In an effort to keep his hands busy, he took to sharpening the spears he made before. Bone wasn't as fine looking as obsidian, but he didn't want to see Dragonglass at the moment. There was a nice pile building beside him, as he was more eager to do something than sit in silence. But even with the sounds of his efforts, it was still quiet enough that he could hear others enter his camp.]

You wandered far.

II. The Free Cities

[The Free Cities aren't much better than the Horizon, though there was more of a chance of privacy and quiet there. It was all a matter of which he felt like suffering through. Crowds of people or no one but his thoughts to keep him company. Life was at least easier in the Free Cities than it had been at the castle. No one was imprisoned unjustly, there were no rumors of execution and, for the most part, they were left to their own devices. Something badly needed for those still trying to adjust to the change of worlds.

Having remembered his conversation with Geralt, Jon took a look at the various smiths, trying to find something of quality among their stock. What he wanted though was a Valyrian sword, his Valyrian sword. It had been a long while since he felt that measure of petulance that he had as a boy, but the departure of some friends had left him in a foul mood.

Still, he tried to push himself to find something good, something he might like. He picked up a few of the weapons from the stand and twirled them in his hand, testing the weight and feel. Of course, in his attempt to like something, he wasn't paying much attention to those around him. Watch out for the sword swinging near your head, passerby.]

Seven Hells, I didn't hit you, did I?

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Not that far.

[She hasn't been looking for anyone in particular. Sometimes, she just comes here to ride - in her own domain, sure, but it's not big enough, so she'll take the big bay horse she's mounted on through others around her. She can't quite say why, or why she doesn't just go riding in the real world - except that the horse she has access to in Nott isn't hers, and she's starting to feel pretty trapped in that reality.]

[In any case, she's pretty sure it's only been a couple of domains since she mounted up. She pulls her serape around herself a little, looking down at Jon from the saddle.]

Your place is cold as all hells. Ain't you chilly?

You get used to it after awhile. [He looked around with a hint of amusement. He didn't think that something like Beyond the Wall would feel like home. There were times though that it was more familiar and comforting than the place he left in the Free Cities. His wolf wasn't here anymore and the details that he added without his memories had disappeared, but it still felt closer to his even without these things.] Are you riding through other domains?

[He horse was a pretty beast, one that he admired from his place. It was a strange realization, seeing that he could have had a horse and gone riding. Somehow that didn't occur to him.]

I have furs, if you want some?

[There's a yelp that's almost a squeak in its pitch, and Jon will find a young woman crouching next to him and staring up with wide eyes.]

No, you didn't.

[By the grace of her ability to dodge, at least. The difference in their heights certainly helps, too.

Alice isn't a swordsperson by any means, and she's not really planning on taking it up. She's merely looking out of curiosity and a vague thought that maybe it wouldn't hurt to carry a knife or something for defense and utility purposes. For lack of a full party of companions at her side, she needs to be prepared to take care of herself as much as possible.

With a self-conscious cough, she stands up at her full height and smooths out her skirts.]

I'm fine, and that's all that matters. You're all right too, I hope?

[As if there was a way for him to somehow hurt himself with the controlled swing of a person who knows how to wield a sword.]

[ It's really kind of her own fault for being an overenthusiastic and slightly careless shopper (though with him being the same, perhaps the blame is evenly split). Ciri had been trying to duck around him to get closer to a blade near the man's elbow and examine it, and she hadn't bothered to announce her presence or say a proper excuse me. So when the man, engrossed in testing a blade of his own, doesn't notice her as he twirls it -- well, Ciri can't even be mad.

She ducks fluidly, grabbing the sword she'd been eyeing on instinct to deflect. The blade glances off with a metallic hiss as she angles to let the blow slide off and down to the side; there isn't much force behind it anyway, and obviously no intent. Her wrist protests and droops slightly, though, the weight tugging down on her arm. The sword is a bit too heavy for her, Ciri judges, bringing around her other hand to grip the hilt when she brings it back down, measured and out of the way.

The man's chagrined exclamation actually makes her snort with genuine amusement. ]

Not a chance.

[ She sets the borrowed sword back on its rack, just as the shopkeeper begins to scold them about how they need to pay for merchandise before using it for their ridiculous duels, or something to that effect. ]

[He's quick to put the sword back before reaching over to help her up. There's a sheepish look on his face, embarrassed that he didn't consider anyone else that might be around. The shopkeeper was giving him an annoyed look, one more person that had legitimate complaint.]

I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry.

[As she smooths her skirts, he takes a moment to observe her. Strange clothing aside, it was her hair that surprised him. He had seen that color before, here and in Westeros. Having met Geralt, he knew that it didn't always mean Targaryen, but it still created a pang in his heart all the same.]

I'm fine. [It was surprising she asked, given he was the one that almost hit her. It was kind, something that not many people had.] You're one of the ones brought here as well?

[He hadn't seen her at Thorne Castle, but that didn't mean very much. The Free Cities were large as well, recognizing a new face was almost impossible unless confronted with them.]

Jon Snow, your would be attacker.

[A rare joke from him, but an effort to lighten the mood.]

[She's quick and clearly well trained to have deflected the sword. He's both impressed and embarrassed. His mind had been elsewhere, simply glad to have a sword in his hands again. It might not be Valyrian steel, but the hilt was comfortable and familiar. He was quick to put the sword down, offering a sheepish smile to the storeowner in apology. He only got a scowl in response.]

I don't think he likes us much.

[The woman's silver hair held his interest, creating a pang in his heart. Geralt had at least helped him remember that not everyone was a Targaryen or from his world. Silver hair might well be common in their world. He shouldn't get his hopes up.

But it still raised all the same, wishing for someone from his world. Specific people that might never come.]

Impressive. [He nodded at the sword in her hand.] That one is more for display I think. The way it's decorated, it's a bit lavish. Try the one I had.

No, I suppose he wouldn't appreciate us handling the merchandise without paying. [ she muttered under her breath, though she did also deign to offer the storekeeper a sheepish smile and a wave of apology as she put the sword back on its stand. Frankly, she wasn't even planning on buying anything, but she wasn't about to tell him that. Sometimes, she just liked to come by and admire the swords. ]

Badly balanced. [ she agreed, though it had been pretty to look at. She reached out to take the offered blade on his suggestion, hefting it experimentally (though more carefully than her fellow shopper had), from one hand to the other. ]

Light and agile. Wonder if it'd hold up to force.

[There wasn't much that appealed to him here too. It was nice to feel a sword in his hand again and the one he handled was nice enough, but he wasn't in the mood to spend coin on something that didn't exactly call to him. A sword needed to be an extension of yourself, and he had yet to see something that could be part of his arm.]

I don't think so. The blade isn't that thick and it shook a little from your deflection. I honestly think he's selling subpar weapons, not the sort that anyone should take into battle. [Which meant he was asking for more than these were worth. Ass.] There were a couple of other blacksmiths that had worse stock. I thought maybe because of the costs, these would be better quality.

[But merchants were the same everywhere.]

Jon Snow.

[ Couple of weeks in, Geralt's not much further along in how many answers he's got about either the newly summoned in the outpost or Mal's disappearance, though he's been equally distracted with Jaskier and Ciri for the past few days. It means he's not strayed too far from the city, as he might've. Last time he left, Jaskier nearly died and Ciri still believes she's responsible for it, and Geralt's just. Handling it. Mostly.

He's taken his horse with him, though it's clear he isn't packed for any kind of extended trip. His sword is tucked in a sheath on Roach's side, out of sight if not hidden, and he looks like he's been out here for at least a couple hours. Which is around when he catches both a familiar scent in the air, and a familiar set of dark curls in the distance. Normally, he'd go his own way nonetheless, but he realizes he hasn't seen Jon out here before. He's curious, suddenly, if perhaps there's something Jon's found worth looking into.

Geralt draws up beside Jon before hopping off the mare. ] Out to enjoy the sights?

[ The dusty, sandy sights of no significance. ]

Aye. I get...

[She sighs, winding the reins around her hand, and chews on her lip for a moment. There's something unreadable in her face - something a little sad, and a little bitter.]

I get restless, I guess. And I ken that he ain't a real horse, but I figure Pylon could still use the exercise.

[She pats the horse's neck fondly.]

I wasn't figuring I'd stay long enough to need furs. But if ye're invitin' me, then sure, I'll take 'em.

No harm done. Really, it's all right.

[Alice has enough experience being around careless martial fighters that this hardly registers as anything too abnormal or worth being angry over. It was an accident, after all, and he's sincerely apologetic over it. To hold anything against him would be cruel.

His question takes her by surprise--she certainly didn't expect to be pegged for an otherworlder so quickly. Although his usage of the words "as well" certainly explain how and why--he's paying attention because he's not from here, either. She blinks a few times before finally responding.]

I am. Just recently arrived, as a matter of fact. How long ago were you brought here?

[It's a fair question, given that she knows that Thorne was summoning people long before her own arrival in Cadens.]

One of the kindest attackers I've met. [Alice is happy to continue with keeping the mood light, given everything that's happened to her before arriving here and since. She gives him a warm smile.] My name is Alice Elliot. It's a pleasure, Jon.

[He doesn't mean to stare at her, but he does. She's similar in a way to Belle, the friend he's lost and wonders over. She seemed to possess that same quiet gentleness, the one that urged restless souls to stand still in her presence. Her hair adds a bit to his loneliness and sorrow, reminding him of the woman he barely had the chance to cherish and now was separated from. A distant pang that connected him to home.

Jon cleared his throat, glancing at his hands as they fidgeted nervously. She was gracious, as he imagined she might be. Far too good natured for a place like this and circumstances that spelled danger.]

I was brought along with the first group, while we were still at Thorne. They treated you kindly, wherever you were summoned?

[He still couldn't shake those that were forced into cells, treated like criminals without reason or justice.]

Alice. It's a pretty name. [Long ago Sansa had told him to say that to girls, but it was genuinely true. There were other women in the North named Alys. It was just another reason to feel a small connection to this stranger.] How much have you seen of the Free Cities?

[He doesn't exactly know where he's going, but still feels the need to walk and search. His mind was racing, looking for clues he might have missed, something that could tell him why Belle was gone and how the mages could extend their power so far. Was it them? Was it someone else? These were things he didn't know how to answer or where to start looking, he only knew he needed to move and do something.

It's not a surprise to see Geralt out this far. Somehow he imagined that the man was often restless and eager to explore. It was a comfort to see a friendly face, especially one that he had been drawn to repeatedly for one reason or another. That he had a horse made Jon feel a pang of jealousy. Gods, he wanted a horse too. Why hadn't he found the coin to get one?

Hints of that petulant boy he once was returned, but faded as he remembered the woman he lost. How to explain this sudden trip?]

I thought I might find something out this way, but I think I needed to walk.

So do I.

[Sitting in his camp probably didn't help that, but it was the only place that offered some comfort and warmth...metaphorically. It was the one of the places he was happiest, when they first were sent to Horizon.]

Your horse, do you have the same one back home?

[He dug into the piled next to him and offered her a capelet and gloves. Things he made himself and were likely crude looking but warm.]

Where did you end up out there? The Free Cities?

[ Were Jon to ask, Geralt would say he has the fortune of being acquainted with people far more charming and with a talent far easier to make coin with than he does on his own (Jaskier, namely, but Sam, too). It's the only reason he's scraped together the equipment that he has.

As it is, Geralt cocks his head at that answer. Finding something is about as ambiguous as it gets. Jon seems preoccupied by more than a walk.

Geralt, rarely one to skirt a topic or ease into it, simply asks, ] Something on your mind?

[ She likes the easy and knowledgable way he talks about the blades. It's familiar territory and a simple conversation starter for her. Ciri smiles, nodding her greeting. ]

Ciri.

[ The merchant is eyeing them like he might have heard some of Jon Snow's complaints. Ciri's smile quirks into a smirk. ]

I've my eye on another smith across the city. Bit far, but worth the trip.

If you really want a sword you can actually rely on in a fight, it needs to be made for you. Not bought secondhand to decorate your dresser.

Come on.

[She looks at him for a long moment, then smiles sidelong, slipping out of her saddle.]

Nowhere so interestin'. Nott. I followed some folk out there I thought might need my help.

[She'll take the clothes readily enough, letting Pylon's reins drop. Before she puts the capelet on, though, she doffs her serape, looping it over the horse's back. No sense letting him freeze, too.]

Pylon here... he's one of my da's finest. Damned near the last one we sold, and one of the first I went to get back.

He's a good mount. Threaded pure. I missed him, so...

[She shrugs, pulling on the gloves and capelet.]

Why not, right?

[Ah, Thorne. That's a name she's heard before, and expects to hear again and again. Until the recent arrival of herself and other recently-summoned people, they were the only ones bringing people to this world. And, from what she understands, half of that population was found wanting.]

Kindly enough. [There's a lack of information, and even now there's a curfew, but it's not prison. They're fed and housed, and that's enough for now. The other boot will drop whenever it will.] Were you among those who were lucky enough to say the same back in Thorne?

[It's an invasive question, perhaps, but she can't help but ask it.]

That's very kind of you to say, thank you. I'm still learning my way around, so I'm afraid I spend more time looking at maps than the city itself.

I wasn't expecting to find anything here that I would use or like.

[He can hear the owner mutter "snobbish" or something of that sort, and perhaps he is. But he knows swords and he knows quality. The wrong weapon in a battle could mean death. He had no interest in using a subpar weapon, the sort that someone in the South might think was durable.]

None of the other shops seemed much better, but I haven't seen all of the city yet.

If you know a better shop, I should like to see it.

The weapon I had grown used to, it wasn't brought along with me. Now I have to find a substitute.

[He doesn't unburden himself easily. Jon has always been a man to hoard his frustrations, pains and sorrows. They seemed to keep good company with the duty that was perpetually on his shoulders. There were occasions though when he was caught enough off guard or left so restless that there was no choice but to confess his thoughts.

Geralt was similar in many ways to his father and the other men he had known. Though that honor wasn't as overt, he imagined that there was some in the man. Enough that he didn't have to worry about potential betrayal or ridicule as he had so many other times.]

A friend disappeared. Someone who was brought here along with us.

What is it like in Nott? Do they treat you any better than Thorne treated us?

[He was curious. He had merely gone to the Free Cities out of a superficial interest. The name "Free Cities" reminded him too obviously of the Free Folk. There was no greater reason, though it had at least come out in his favor. The place was welcoming enough and comfortable for someone weary from travel and battle.]

He's a fine horse. [The sort that any lord would cherish. He came closer to admire the creature, letting his gloved hand run over the horse's neck and mane.] Why would you sell your stables?

[There were reasons he could imagine, but none of them were pleasant ones.]

They said I was among the 'welcomed' but they didn't make clear why someone was welcomed or not. The unwelcomed were put into the dungeon without trial. The welcomed had rooms and freedom to move about the castle.

I wouldn't say there was that much of a difference. All of us were put to the same task before we were able to escape.

[Not so vague terms, but he's not really looking to conceal his feelings on the matter. He made them clear a number of times before. So long as he had that memory, he would feel hostile to Thorne.]

So long as you weren't forced to endure the same. I don't know how it is newer arrivals are treated.

[Or were pulled here.]

Would you want me to show you around?

We had to. [She says it very matter-of-factly, but there's a certain ruefulness in the way she looks at Pylon as the horse whickers and sniffs against Jon's sleeve.] We'd already sold all else we had. 'Twas sell the horses, or lose the ranch they grazed on, and them with it.

[She shrugs, with a disaffected air she doesn't feel.]

He's a fine horse. My da never bred one that wasn't. When we sold him, we got damned near three months' rent, even with the debts.

Nott's fine. They ain't too close to Thorne, I reckon. Send their taxes there, take the orders come back out, but the folk up in the castle don't give two shits about those out in the sticks, and I guess the folks in the docks kennit. They've dealt pretty square with us, so far.

I'm sorry. [Both for the losses she suffered and for raising the question. It likely wasn't one that she would want to revisit with a stranger.] Horizon can be a bit kinder and let you see the things you miss.

[But that wasn't exactly comforting since it wasn't the real thing. He could imagine that it was bittersweet to see a beloved animal again...just as it was when he saw Ghost. Unfortunately, the true being was back in their world.]

Have you looked at horses in Nott? The Free Cities have a fair stables and horses to choose from, so long as you have coin.

They still have their reach in Thorne. A number of us who were brought here have disappeared. The mages have to be behind it.

[ His eyes narrow at that. Disappeared. That's only the second time he's heard of a disappearance, and it's already two times too many. He considers what he wants to share. Mal's vanishing is a matter he's been investigating quietly; there's too much unknown for him to begin nosing into places he might regret. If the Free Cities has anything to do with it, if this is related to the newly summoned who have appeared as of late—he sure as fuck hasn't got plans to alert the military as to what he's uncovering.

Which admittedly isn't much. It's not the first he's seen such a void of evidence, of a trail, but. It's unusual still. ]

Two weeks ago, one of us disappeared. A young man. [ Geralt studies Jon. ] When did you notice your friend missing?

[ It depends on how well Jon's kept an eye on said friend. Mal's disappearance can be pinpointed down to within a few hours, if only because he'd shared a home with Sam and Alina, and the innkeeper had seen him shortly before he never returned home. ]

[As long as you have coin. That's a joke. She's got a few coppers left that she's set by from her work on the docks, once she takes out what's owing for food or rent.]

[She doesn't say so, of course. She's spilled enough of her life's story already on a man who, for all his kindness in the cells, is a stranger still. So she just shrugs one shoulder, knotting the reins to the saddle pommel. Pylon won't roam too far.]

Looked for work in the stables. There ain't so many horses as you'd think. Boats, mostly, save for the rich and those out of town. Guess on a lakeside that's more use.

[At that other part, though, her brow furrows.]

Ye think Thorne took 'em? There's been a couple folk in Nott went back up to the castle, but from what I hear they chose it. Gods only know why.

I find myself in the same position. No sword, and having to earn from scratch the money with which to commission one-- but I'm almost there.

[ She says, as if she's earning the majority of it. When it's actually Jaskier doing the heavy lifting, financially speaking.

Still... she's trying. Odd jobs, helping where she can. With a proper sword, she'll actually be able to do real work. ]

I'll show you to the smith we've found. [ Geralt found. ] She does good work.

What kind of blade are you used to, Jon Snow?

Not long after we left Horizon. It wasn't strange at first, she took to disappearing to the library or other places to read.

[And it wasn't as if they shared a room anymore. He couldn't know when she came back or how long she was gone during the day, but could trace back the last time he saw her was the arrival from Horizon.]

I can't find her, I can't get word to her.

[Maybe a part of him hoped she was back in Thorne, but that was a naïve wish.]

No sign of your friend after he disappeared?

Boats offer their own sort of freedom. They don't compare to a horse, but you will still feel wind in your hair.

[Docks wouldn't be so bad. There was at least plenty of work there and from the sound of things, she was able to look after herself fine. She reminded him of Arya in that. That same steel and iron. There was a gentle look about her, but he imagined she could manage well enough without help.]

I don't know. It was the Mages that brought us here. Seems as if they'd be the ones to send us back.

It's hard to know unless we go there.

I haven't found much work yet to live by. Seems most here need to know a trade to manage.

[And he was a soft lordling, only managing to dirty his hands in the Watch. Still, even with all he learned there and among the Freefolk, he still was struggling to survive in a place he wasn't prepared for. This wasn't the North or the wilds. A place like this, he'd never seen it before.]

No chance she'd know Valyrian steel?

[He was proud of his blade, missing the heft and weight in his hand. It really was another appendage for him.]

A bastard sword. [Fitting, right?] Good, balanced weight with a white wolf for the pommel. I almost wish the sword would appear here instead of someone I know.

I guess.

[She sounds deeply unsure about that, and not just because there's nothing for her to be sent back to. She can't imagine trusting the mages to do anything without an ulterior motive, really.]

[She wraps her arms around herself, frowning.]

...Do 'ee mean to? Go there?

I sympathize. My trade requires a sword more often than not. But in the meantime, I've found decent work running packages here and there, guarding goods, odd jobs like that. If you're willing to put in the effort and aren't too picky about pay, plenty of folk around the market'll think up things they'd rather not do themselves.

[ Ciri leads the way through the streets with a practiced familiarity and confidence, as though she's lived here months longer than any of them really have. Not that she's aware Jon Snow is a newcomer like herself yet, though; considering people come to Cadens and the other Free Cities from all over, the fact he's in need of coin and looking for a job and a sword doesn't strike her as particularly unusual in any case. ]

Mm. Never heard of it, myself. But maybe the smith has. [ Maybe it's a thing around here? She has no idea.

The rest of what he says makes her look over, though. A white wolf. An interesting motif, but not worth mentioning. It's the last bit, the way he phrases it. Curious. ]

You're waiting for someone to meet you in Cadens?

[ Geralt begins to walk, leading Roach alongside with him. For a minute, he's silent, contemplating, before he answers. ]

He disappeared precisely outside of a tavern. His trail ends abruptly there. As if... [ He pauses. ] The doorway were not a simple doorway.

[ But if there were a portal, the innkeeper would've seen it, and no one saw a damn thing that would constitute as unusual. Mal is not the first to have gone missing. He remembers after the tunnels, a few were never seen again. After the portals, too, out in that yard. Nothing about that was unexpected. Sometimes, people don't make it. Buried in the tunnels, died on the path to Nott—Geralt's only given their absence a passing thought.

What happened to Mal is not that. This is something else altogether. Something he can't yet piece in a way that makes sense. ]

[Gods he doesn't want to. That seems like a poor idea that could just lead to his capture. But what else could he do? He wouldn't know unless he investigated.]

Not yet. [The possibility was there though. If he stalled, planned a bit longer, than he might (for once), manage to not throw himself into a suicidal mission.] I want to hear what others say about Thorne and those they've lost too.

[A bit of scouting in the simplest way.]

You're safer in your village, away from Thorne.

I wouldn't know what is considered fair pay in this world as it stands. [And so long as he could eat and put a little aside for himself, it was enough. He knew how to survive with nothing.] I'll take a look at the docks and see if there is work for me there. Might be that I can have something commissioned that's similar to my own.

[If only the smith heard of it. He wasn't about to get his hopes up.]

I doubt she has. It's obsidian made in dragon flame. It has magical elements to it and is difficult to make into a sword. I'd do better to beg the mages for my sword back. [And he's not about to do that.

He shook his head.] No, I don't expect anyone to come. If they did, there's no guarantee they would stay. People disappear quickly.

Magic.

[He suspected as much. How else would someone disappear in this world? The mages brought them in that way, did they send them back through the same methods?]

I'd bet there are answers in Thorne, in that castle. Whatever they said about bringing us here, whether they meant to or not, they likely can send others back.

[There was no proof for him, but he hadn't trusted the mages since they arrived and it only grew to deep grudge when he saw the state of those in the dungeon. Who else could it be but these men that forced them here and forced them into Horizon]

I hope they only sent your friend home.

Fuck safe. All these folken fightin', all this war brewin', ain't nowhere gonna be safe that we can get to.

[She sighs, and goes to settle herself by his fire. It really is damned cold here.]

Anyroad, I've done enough playin' safe for a lifetime.

I ain't goin' back, though. Don't reckon you should, either, nor anyone else. If they want us, they oughtta have to fight for us.

[ Ciri blinks, doing a bit of a double-take and looking at him again, this time closer. In this world. He says it so casually. It's not as if their presence in the city is a secret from the leaders of it or the military, but Ciri still avoids bringing up the fact she's not from here in everyday conversation, not wanting to draw extra attention. Considering the circumstances she escaped from back in Thorne, the caution seemed well-founded.

Still, there's something to be said about knowing who is among their number and who, within that group, can be considered an ally.

So she takes it in stride, only nods and gestures down another street to indicate they're turning, offering little else about herself and letting him draw his own conclusions if he wishes to. ]

Might be, yes. Nothing dragon-forged, I think. Sounds exceedingly rare and powerful. But-- they have swords here, even if they're not so special as the one you're used to, and I think you can get a decent one made if you've got the coin.

[ The last bit he adds on, though, makes her glance at Jon again. ]

What do you mean?

[ What? Home? Geralt's eyebrows lift. That's a fucking optimistic way of looking at it. The sound he makes says he's skeptical at best. ] Doubt it. I don't imagine Thorne's influence reaches this far.

[ No. He thinks this goes beyond Thorne. Given the Free Cities has been summoning folk—there's always a give and take to magic, isn't there? What has the Free Cities been giving, to pull their own summoned for themselves? Especially for a nation that has largely shunned magic, without the heavily trained mages that Thorne holds? ]

You believe it's that easy to return?

[ Geralt's tone suggests he does not. ]

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October Catchall

Horizon

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swords in the cities!

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Omg yes! I've been so eager for them to meet!

yay!!

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wildcard; just outside cadens; mid-oct.

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