[Chapter Size: 2100 Words.]
Third Person POV
Skellige.
...
...
The young couple was having fun as Madara led her across the dance floor—it was already the third song they had danced together. They were still there and seemed to be enjoying themselves quite a bit.
It was a very informal dance, where they moved as if there were no rules to follow. The people of Skellige had their own way of having fun, much more energetic than what was usually expected.
And Madara didn't mind loosening up a little with Ciri there, after he had copied all the movements and taught the girl, who naturally learned quickly how to move on the floor keeping up with Madara.
But there, between Ciri and Madara, in the middle of that chaos of people dancing, there was no one else but them enjoying that moment.
And so it continued, and it wasn't long before they also saw Yennefer and Geralt together on the dance floor, while Ciri watched Geralt all stiff as he tried to dance.
"You and Madara are definitely competing to see who dances more stiffly." Ciri laughed.
"I'd rather face monsters than have to dance." Geralt muttered while Yennefer tried to make him keep up with her.
Madara said nothing, despite the teasing. And they decided to stay a bit longer, until Madara sensed someone moving through the middle of the floor, coming toward him and almost bumping into him on purpose.
That's how he did it — but Madara easily dodged the person, while Ciri stared, watching the movement as the other thin man seemed to nearly lose his balance while a note fell from his hand. He looked at Madara startled and then at the note, picking it up from the floor while eyeing him cautiously.
"Can you help me?" he asked.
Madara did exactly that, though he narrowed his eyes as he felt the note fall into his hand the moment the man let go. The man didn't even look at Madara again and walked away, heading off the floor, while Madara turned his gaze back to Ciri as she raised an eyebrow at that.
"What was that?" she murmured.
"I don't know, but let's leave it for later." he said, putting away the note. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to bother him right now.
They danced one more song and Ciri saw that Madara didn't want to continue.
"Hey, let's go to the balcony." she asked, holding his hand, leaving Geralt and Yennefer behind. There were a few people on the balcony chatting, but they ignored them as they stepped up to the castle's parapet.
The view of the village below appeared again with the entire harbor.
"So... what did that man want?" Ciri couldn't help but ask, curious.
Madara took the paper and unfolded it, his eyebrows raising slightly before he burned the note using chakra in his hands.
"Nothing you need to worry about." Madara simply said to her.
"That sounds serious, Madara. Tell me. You're not going to keep secrets from me." she demanded, while he sighed and returned her gaze.
"It's about Vilgefortz of Roggeveen." Madara said.
Ciri immediately widened her eyes, surprised.
"Seems like, as I suspected. He's on the island?" Madara said.
"That bastard is here." Ciri immediately growled at that.
Madara simply nodded. He had already been on the continent tracking this man ever since he left Kaer Morhen in Kaedwen... That's why he wanted to come to Skellige. Madara knew very well about the man's recent actions. That's why he needed to hunt him down. And it seemed the old sorcerer was full of enemies, and someone easily associated him with Vilgefortz as an enemy. Even if it could be a trap, Madara would investigate the person who handed him the note more thoroughly later.
"Then let's hunt him." Ciri said beside him.
Madara stared for a moment, about to deny it, but only sighed, nodding anyway. He turned his gaze back to the port.
"Vilgefortz has plenty of enemies now that he's just a shadow of his former self..." Madara commented. Vilgefortz of Roggeveen had lost much of his power in recent years. And the memory of that sorcerer from the King of Kaedwen, when he was invading his mind, clearly showed what Madara had done to him—leaving him permanently disabled—unable to properly use magic.
He seemed like a man who now relied only on his knowledge, trading it for favors from potential allies. Even without power, he was dangerous when Vilgefortz seemed bent on revenge at any cost—not for himself, but in front of others.
It would be easy to deal with him now, but he would leave it for later. He didn't think the man would be in the room now. Despite many eyes at the party turning toward them—and some being quite unpleasant—no one would dare try anything. Ciri could also take care of herself very well now.
"Hello, would you mind if we introduced ourselves?" Suddenly, a couple approached them from inside, wearing a friendly smile.
They introduced themselves as the lords of a city on another island, visiting Skellige by chance when they heard about the banquet—and even more about the identities of the two. The man claimed to know Eist and Calanthe personally.
"I've always heard stories in recent years from the continent that there was a warrior who could summon a god to turn the tide of an entire battle. They say he reaps thousands of lives with a single movement of his sword... And to think I'd meet the one everyone says caused those tales today... Is he the one responsible for the victory over Nilfgaard?" the man said, looking at Madara with interest.
"I hear that a lot, but you don't seem impressed." Madara replied calmly.
"No, sorry. I can see you have the aura of someone who kills when necessary, no doubt. No offense... but still, that story about summoning a giant is a bit hard to believe, don't you think? You're young... younger than I thought. But there are things I just can't believe."
"Anyway, I wasn't there to say what was true or not. Even if I wished I had been there, killing those damned Nilfgaardians. My brother was also killed, along with other family members. I was with them in the naval battle near Cintra with Eist. We also heard that you fought against Nilfgaard in the south of Cintra and in the capital." he said.
"Just say it already. What do you want?" Madara replied in an impatient tone. This man was dragging things out too much. Ciri looked at Madara in surprise, his eyes narrowed at the man.
The man was also caught off guard by that, before coughing and looking seriously at Madara, even with anger toward the Uchiha.
"I wanted to know... why didn't you save Queen Calanthe?" he asked bluntly, while Ciri shot him a dark look.
Madara had already shown her the memory of what happened, and it certainly wasn't pleasant. Ciri knew that her grandmother had chosen to throw herself from the window to die with Cintra, committing suicide, because she knew that if she stayed alive, worse things could happen to her at Nilfgaard's hands.
"Be careful with what you say, my lord." It was Ciri herself who spoke before Madara could respond, and she continued.
"Madara tried to save her, but she chose to stay and die for Cintra. You must not blame him for that. It was her decision. She died protecting Cintra. That's all you need to know. Do not trample on her last dignity. I'm sure Mousesack could say the same, as he was there in her final moments too." Ciri said in a tone far from friendly, while the woman pulled her husband back, sensing that the mood between them was no longer pleasant.
"No offense, princess. I just really liked your grandmother, you know? She was like an aunt to me. It still saddens me to know she met a tragic end. I just wished that... if she had survived, she might have had the chance to see you grow up..." the man said, while Ciri only nodded, but didn't say another word to him, clearly showing she no longer welcomed his presence.
"Well, I should go then." The man, realizing it, took his leave. He turned around and went back to the hall.
"How can he be so foolish?" Ciri murmured angrily, while Madara placed his hand on her to calm her down.
"Don't get so worked up, this is normal. People will question. I expected something like this." Madara replied, as Ciri sighed, clearly disliking that kind of approach.
"I swear I'm going to kick... and punch anyone else who comes asking such rude questions!" she growled.
"I don't think he'll be the last one tonight. And speaking of which..." Madara murmured thoughtfully, glancing at the party and then back at Ciri, who looked at him.
"How about you try to foresee the future here? We might get a good idea of what's coming if something else unpleasant happens..." he said.
"You're right!" she nodded, focusing while Madara stood guard over her.
Her eyes began to glow and she started speaking in strange tongues. Madara stood at her side, waiting for her to finish, as that was how it always happened when she began to foresee the future.
When she finished, her eyes blinked several times and she sighed. Madara ignored a few people whispering nearby after hearing Ciri speak strange words—they looked frightened by the two—but Madara focused only on Ciri.
"About that..." she said, still seeming tired.
"Don't tell me we're going to have bears storming the place, right?" Madara asked, recalling the Witcher game, when the naming of the next king after King Bran's death had been called, and on the night of the selection, there had been an attack by the bear-men clan.
Ciri raised an eyebrow at hearing that.
"Why would bears invade the castle? There won't be any bears. Anyway..." Ciri continued.
"I didn't see anything serious here, just people asking some unpleasant questions. There will be an old acquaintance from Cintra... and also a lord from Cintra living here. Besides that, the queen will try to introduce me to her son." she murmured, clearly displeased by that part.
"Is that woman really that foolish?" Madara was beginning to lose patience with her.
"You don't have to destroy the whole castle. I know how to handle it." she said with a mischievous smile.
"Not even in my vision did I accept it. I said unpleasant things to her. So it won't be a surprise if she gives me a sour look." Ciri laughed mischievously. Madara only raised an eyebrow.
"I'm curious to know who this acquaintance is." Madara asked.
"That's a surprise. Anyway, a nobleman is coming our way. Do you remember Lord Vellador of Morneval, who managed the Cintran coast?" Ciri said, as the man stepped onto the balcony, looking around until he saw them and smiled as he approached.
"My gods, I can't believe I'm seeing this! I came to the castle as soon as I heard you were alive—after everything!" he said.
"Princess!" He quickly bowed before turning to Madara.
"Lord Uchiha... to think that both of you are alive after all! What joy!"
Madara and Ciri continued talking with Vellador for a while. He spoke about how, despite the naval battle on the coast, they had survived and managed to escape with his family to the islands.
The conversation went on longer than expected, until Madara grew interested in hearing more about what had happened on that side of Cintra during the invasion.
The conversation was interrupted when Mousesack arrived.
"There you two are—and it's good to see you, Lord Vellador." the druid commented.
"Hello, Mousesack, how are you? You never told me they were alive!?" Vellador said with a hint of anger at not having that information.
"You know no one was supposed to know that..." the druid replied, then turned back to the two.
"Anyway, I don't want to interrupt your conversation, but King Bran would like to request that you take your seats at the table with your family, if you're available."
He spoke, and both nodded, with the couple heading back inside as they made their way to the main table.
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