[ A private audience, he says. A chill runs down her spine. The thought of how torn up he'd been. His back, lashed open. Tortured for--
For Yennefer to watch. To make it stop, or not. To prove herself. To show the queen where she stands.
If Ciri is being honest with herself, she isn't as surprised as she should be. For days, since she spoke with Julie, she's been putting the pieces together. Only this makes sense. Yennefer, in Thorne, working her way closer into the graces of those who hold power, despite her originally imprisoned status as one of the 'mistake' outsiders, now has to show that she really deserves to be there. She is seeking status on their court, and talented mage though she might be, Thorne is full of mages. Of course Yennefer would try to bend the ear of the queen herself. Of course she would reach high.
Ciri swallows. Her arms cross over the edge of the table, the food forgotten, fingers pressing into her forearms.
That they were testing Yennefer makes sense. But she does not really understand how they knew about Geralt. Or why they'd try to get into Geralt's head. What they were hoping to find there. What they might know.
Her heart beats faster, and she knows Geralt can hear it. The fear in it. Ciri bites her lip, looking away. ]
I believe you.
But... how did they know? To find you?
[ If Yennefer hadn't told them anything, she means. Ciri knows it doesn't necessarily implicate her, that the Summoned can't avoid connection to one another, but it still feels far too... personal. Why would they have decided to grab Geralt from all the way across the continent? Is Yennefer's loyalty so important? Or Geralt himself? Or--?
no subject
For Yennefer to watch. To make it stop, or not. To prove herself. To show the queen where she stands.
If Ciri is being honest with herself, she isn't as surprised as she should be. For days, since she spoke with Julie, she's been putting the pieces together. Only this makes sense. Yennefer, in Thorne, working her way closer into the graces of those who hold power, despite her originally imprisoned status as one of the 'mistake' outsiders, now has to show that she really deserves to be there. She is seeking status on their court, and talented mage though she might be, Thorne is full of mages. Of course Yennefer would try to bend the ear of the queen herself. Of course she would reach high.
Ciri swallows. Her arms cross over the edge of the table, the food forgotten, fingers pressing into her forearms.
That they were testing Yennefer makes sense. But she does not really understand how they knew about Geralt. Or why they'd try to get into Geralt's head. What they were hoping to find there. What they might know.
Her heart beats faster, and she knows Geralt can hear it. The fear in it. Ciri bites her lip, looking away. ]
I believe you.
But... how did they know? To find you?
[ If Yennefer hadn't told them anything, she means. Ciri knows it doesn't necessarily implicate her, that the Summoned can't avoid connection to one another, but it still feels far too... personal. Why would they have decided to grab Geralt from all the way across the continent? Is Yennefer's loyalty so important? Or Geralt himself? Or--?
She doesn't ask it. Geralt knows. ]