Kyana Of Cintra

81

Geralt and Kyana stormed back into Calanthe's reception hall, annoyed that their suspicions had rung true. "First, you try to kill us, then you lie to us." Geralt sneered to Calanthe, who was cursing loudly in her head. "I'm just trying to keep Cirilla safe." He insisted, to which Calanthe gave him an amused look.

"Ciri is safe, with me, until the day she takes over my throne." Calanthe insisted, attempting to step around Geralt. He shifted to block her path, anger creeping up on him.

"Listen to me." He demanded. Calanthe scoffed and stared him square in the face, refusing to back down. Kyana saw no reason for Calanthe to doubt their honest intentions; they had always been truthful, the whole continent knew that.

"I did listen once. Let a hedgehog into my court. It got me Pavetta dead. I won't lose Ciri too. So you and destiny can both fuck right off." Calanthe spat at them in hushed tones, her gaze fluttering back and forth between the two Witchers. Geralt's head tilted to the side slightly as his mouth curled in anger, while Kyana remained perfectly stoic, inwardly getting angrier by the second. "Because if Nilfgaard comes, will destiny carry a banner into battle? No. We have an army, a navy..." Calanthe stepped around Geralt to move between the two of them, an action Kyana blocked. "and me."

"A dynasty can't survive on arrogance alone." Kyana stated bluntly, staring Calanthe down with her fierce eyes. "You will kill your nation. Starve them more than you already have. Kill innocent people." Calanthe huffed a humorless laugh, bitterly looking Kyana up and down.

"Says a Witcher." The Queen said, her tone so condescending she could make the strongest of men cry. A moment of silence lapsed around them as Geralt watched the two half sisters stare each other down to assert power and dominance. "She needs family. You know nothing about that." That sentence cut Kyana deeper than any knife, and Calanthe knew it. "Your own mother cared so little, she discarded you to become one of the filth you are. Your snake medallion speaks volumes, sister." Calanthe spat venomously.

Kyana laughed, although it didn't reach her eyes. "And yet, I've more power than you can dream of. I've more right to be a queen than you, and I've more love in my filthy snake medallion than you have in your entire, hateful mind. Did I mention I can read your thoughts?" That sentiment alone was enough to get Calanthe reeling, forcing her way past her and down the corridor. "You are poisonous, Calanthe. You lecture me on a mother's love yet offer up someone else's daughter."

Calanthe stopped in her tracks, although she refused to look back. "Queen to all of Cintra, grandmother to one. I won't orphan that girl." Calanthe need not stab Kyana with her eyes; the words in her next statement were quite enough. "I don't expect you to understand. You're a pathetic, spineless, infertile excuse of a woman who will never be loved, and will never know what it is to love."

Kyana's lips parted, in shock, anger and hurt. Geralt became positively furious, yelling down the hall after her. "She knows more love than you, and she has mine. Kyana would be everything you're not in a queen, look after her children. Instead, you're sentencing yours to death!" He stated, just as Eist came into the room. Calanthe turned her head and smiled a slimy grin. Kyana was still trying to grasp onto the fact he'd just said he loved her, and Geralt shut his eyes in annoyance at how quick he was to open his mouth.

"You love her?" Calanthe huffed with a smile, turning and walking back down the hall. "How convenient. I wish you all the best while you rot in monster blood and bear no children. I'm glad your bloodline ends with your filthy deaths. Good day." Calanthe hissed as she approached Eist. He looked weary, and it was obvious it had been 12 years since they had seen him. His blue eyes were duller, his face more sullen, hair graying and body slighter. The admiration he had once given Kyana was missing from his eyes, replaced with a cold dislike.

"What did I miss?" He asked his wife as she strode past him.

"Nothing." Calanthe replied swiftly, as though they had been talking of nothing more than a pig for slaughter. In that moment, Kyana realized how much of a heartless Queen Calanthe had become; starving her people, refusing help, and speaking to them as such. "Get them out of my sight."

Kyana and Geralt were duly escorted out of the castle, each of them blazing in fury and hate. Eist walked alongside them, watching Kyana flex her free hand while holding onto Geralt's, trying her hardest to keep herself from crying at Calanthe's statements. Geralt tried his best to calm her when he was just as furious as she was, if not more.

"I remember when you honored the Law of Surprise. What changed?" Geralt asked Eist once they had reached the entrance to the castle and had breathed fresh air. Eist barely spared him a glance, shifting down the cobblestone path like he had all the time in the world; a dangerous thing for a King to portray.

"I had a granddaughter." Eist stated, as though it were obvious. His eyes squinted to adjust to the sunlight, which blinded the three of them momentarily.

"So protect her." Geralt spat out, punctuating every word. "What if Calanthe's wrong? What if they come and Ciri is trapped?" Kyana's mind raced with a million and one possibilities that the army may inflict upon Ciri, a twelve year old girl. Kyana cringed at the thought.

"I fight side by side with my Queen." Kyana huffed a laugh, her head snapping to the side to face him as she spoke through her teeth.

"Then you are a bigger fool than I took you for. A King who fears to include his own opinions, oh now that'a a ballad." Kyana stated sarcastically, glaring at Eist with all her power. For a moment, she wondered what she had seen in those eyes all those years ago. "You put too much faith in one ruler and one set of advisers. If you think Calanthe can steer this war on her own then you are a fool, and if you think your faith in her will help in any way you are an idiot."

"Well, you weren't there. After Pavetta died, Calanthe would wake up howling in the night. The Lioness, nearly broken. Someone who's able to pull themselves out of that, they'll have my confidence till my final day." Kyana laughed bitterly and stopped in her tracks, allowing Eist to walk in front and turn to her.

"Yes, you're right, I wasn't there. You know why? Because my dear sister's invite got lost in hell. My niece. My own family. Dead for twelve years and not once was I told." Eist looked guilty for a small moment, but it was gone as soon as it came. "Calanthe woke up howling while I didn't sleep, wondering what I did wrong. When I did sleep I'd wake up screaming the forest down because my mind would convey images, horrible images, of Pavetta, Calanthe, Duny, all night. You will not use grief as a bargaining chip when I wasn't even given the chance to know, Your Majesty."

Eist sighed, watching Kyana and Geralt storm swiftly out of the castle gates. "I need your promise you won't come back. Either of you." Geralt's jaw tightened as they turned back to glare at Eist.

"If I hear Ciri's in danger, you know I can't do that." Eist sighed, as though resorting to something he didn't want to. The gates dropped on either side of Geralt and Kyana, trapping them in order to arrest them. Kyana's fury knew no bounds in that moment.

"I know." Eist said smugly. In one fail swoop, Kyana lifted her hand and casted Aard, then Igni directly after, flinging Eist back and setting his fancy cape on fire. Kyana grinned, while Geralt rolled his eyes in amusement, giving her 'the look'.

"What? If I'm getting arrested and killed, I might as well give the bastard a 1% of what he deserves." Geralt hummed as guards surrounded them, chaining them in steel and taking them to the cells.