The Traveler: Part 1

Chapter 11

"Oh look who's here everyone! And Lambert, you thought it would take her another week," Keira said lightly backhanding Lambert's shoulder. "Ciri, the weather was just so lovely that I insisted on an al fresco lunch. It's a shame all we have is rabbit stew," she said tipsily taking a sip from her wine glass.

"Well, it certainly smells delicious," Ciri replied, inhaling deeply.

None of them spoke for a short time, and the four at the table all looked at each other as if they were having some sort of silent argument. It wasn't until Maya, trying to hold back her wild mane of red hair which the wind was blowing into her face, gave Eskel a nudge with her elbow that the silence was broken.

"Ciri, I uh, I don't wanna ruin your homecoming, but...there's someone here to see you," he croaked out.

As Ciri pondered who might come to Kaer Mohren, she heard the soft distant tones of a flute -a flute played by one whose tunes she knew all too well. She pulled her face together in confusion and then a wave of anxiety washed over her. She hadn't seen him in three years. Since Tor Gvalch'ca.

"I'm surprised you didn't see him on the way in," Keira said.

"You'll find him on the north wall on the west side of the crumbled parapet fidgeting with some gadget," Lambert added, the flute music still audible.

"Don't be ridiculous Lambert, he isn't fidgeting. He is collecting and focusing light...though why he needs light that has been reflected off of snow is a secret that I sincerely would like to be privy to," the blond sorceress sweetly corrected.

"And how is that not fidgeting?" Lambert jokingly retorted. Keira gave him a snide, but loving smile. Lambert was often a bit on the tame side when around Keira.

"I guess I'll see what our dear elven sage wants," Ciri said.

She walked briskly over to Iespeth. "I have to go take care of something. Go introduce yourself, I'll be back in a bit," she said while passing by her quickly.

"May I come with you?"

"No. It's important that you do not come with me."

Before Iespeth could say anything, Ciri was walking away.

***

Ciri had told her to go to them. To introduce herself. But she couldn't. She stood in front of the two massive doors leading into the keep trying to make herself move towards the four sitting in the sun enjoying a meal, but her legs wouldn't budge. The emerald-eyed elf knew their names, a bit about them, but she did not know them. The imagination of talking to these strangers without Ciri was unpleasant. If only the thought of going over there causes this unpleasant feeling, then I should not go over there, she surmised. This must be fear. She would come to learn later that courage was the counteraction to fear. She turned to the heavy wooden doors and pushed one of them open, just enough to slip in.

Iespeth walked into what she first thought was the great hall until she looked further, seeing a much larger, grander room. She made her way into the massive space, nearly unable to breathe in awe of it all. Directly in front of her were tables, bookshelves filled with books, and various contraptions of sorts. She walked over to one table with blood stains, putting her hands directly on it to feel it and wondered what the creatures' physical form looked like. She moved over to a wall with an intricate mural of a man on horseback fighting what seemed to be a giant chicken. Iespeth pondered if such a creature truly existed. She followed the wall until coming upon a door atop a few steps. If her spatial reasoning was correct, this door might lead to the tower with the balconies she saw approaching Kaer Morhen.