Do you know why Kaedwen continues to prosper, and why so many of its subjects enjoy better lives? There is only one reason, their ruler is an amoral, cold-blooded bastard who stands above the law.
Excerpt from Swine, Whores, or the Rare Wise King
...
The venue for the summit of kings, the circular amphitheatre, was one of Loc Muinne's greatest treasures.
Even after losing the magnificent decorations of its glory days and slowly falling into ruin beneath the passage of time, its colonnades and artistic reliefs remained impressive.
The entire amphitheatre was an anti-magic zone. The elves had once used it as a venue for bardic performances or as an arena for combat.
Now, after all the memorable events that had taken place, the circular amphitheatre had acquired a new purpose, becoming a place where mages and kings negotiated with one another.
Standing in the center of the square were the principal speakers entitled to participate in the discussion: John Natalis, Regent of Temeria; Henselt, King of Kaedwen; Radovid V, King of Redania; Saskia the Dragonslayer of the Pontar Valley; Carduin of Lan Exeter, who had convened the summit; and the sorceress Síle de Tansarville.
Also invited to attend, though not regarded as principal speakers, were Nilfgaardian ambassador Shilard Fitz-Oesterlen and his military attaché, Renuald aep Matsen.
The other mages who had come to observe, along with the elite soldiers brought by the kings, sat in the stands to witness the negotiations.
Every person entitled to speak in the arena would undoubtedly leave a significant mark on history.
Henselt, king of the Unicorn dynasty, rested one hand on his sword.
"Listen carefully, Regent John Natalis... No matter how you try to argue otherwise, the fact remains that Temeria is on the verge of splitting apart. You can't deceive us, nor can you deny it.
"Over the past several weeks, you've held meeting after meeting in Vizima to determine the successor to the Temerian throne. But because Foltest's youngest son, Boussy, has disappeared, you've been completely unable to reach an agreement.
"As far as I know, because the competing interests of the Temerian nobility cannot be reconciled, you have only one option left, divide the kingdom into provinces along the current borders of each nobleman's domain!"
With Temeria's internal situation exposed so openly, its regent, a formidable bald man wearing silver armor with red tassels, turned livid.
Wearing his crown, Radovid V folded his arms across his gleaming golden armor.
"And that absolutely cannot be allowed. John Natalis, Temeria stands on the front line against Nilfgaard. It must remain a powerful kingdom, not become some loose confederation."
Biting his lower lip, the regent sighed helplessly.
"Your Majesty, I would prefer the same. But when King Foltest fell beneath an assassin's blade, the heart holding this kingdom together shattered with him."
Henselt raised his voice.
"There is an excellent solution to your predicament. For the good of the entire North, Kaedwen and Redania will jointly dispatch troops to put an end to the quarrels among those old noble houses and guarantee peace from Gors Velen to Ellander."
His meaning was hardly subtle.
He intended to join forces with Redania and divide Temeria between them.
Understanding perfectly what Henselt was proposing, Natalis angrily retorted, "King Henselt! Your proposal is absurd. Temeria has not ceased to exist!"
Radovid interjected, "Natalis, clearly you still haven't heard about the bloody incident that took place in the Kaedweni camp today.
"Vernon Roche, commander of the Blue Stripes, the special forces unit that served your late king, stands accused of carrying out a horrific massacre in the Kaedweni camp before dawn!"
Henselt immediately pressed the advantage.
"Exactly! Vernon Roche will not escape. My loyal men are hunting him as we speak.
"Regent, allow me to remind you not to attempt to shelter him. Even a minor dispute can escalate into war, and this man attempted to assassinate the King of Kaedwen."
Knowing there was no way to deny it, John Natalis clenched his fists.
"That was Roche's personal action. I condemn such an atrocity as well.
"Unfortunately, after he and his men successfully captured La Valette Castle, he disappeared. If Roche reappears in Temeria, I will have him arrested under military law and interrogate him personally."
Radovid condemned him coldly.
"That merely proves why Temeria cannot be permitted to govern its own affairs. The inevitable result will be anarchy and chaos."
Redania and Kaedwen echoed one another's arguments. Everyone observing the negotiations could see that Temeria's position was dire, and events were racing toward the worst possible outcome.
But John Natalis, hero of the Battle of Brenna, did not give up.
After organizing his thoughts, the regent was just about to continue arguing his case when one of his subordinates quietly approached and whispered into his ear.
Natalis's face suddenly brightened.
There was naturally a very good reason for his excitement.
But to explain it properly, events had to be taken back several hours.
...
"Ahhh! I've been shot! I've been shot!"
"Help!"
"Stop attacking! Have mercy on us!"
"Urgh... I'm bleeding everywhere!"
When the screams finally faded completely, countless corpses littered the Scoia'tael camp northeast of Loc Muinne.
They wore brown and yellow surcoats bearing the emblem of the Unicorn, marking them as Kaedweni soldiers.
The only humans left standing on the battlefield were Vernon Roche, Ves, the little girl Anaïs, Angoulême, and Geralt of Rivia.
Once the fighting ended and the battlefield had been cleared, the group gathered to exchange information. It didn't take long for them to piece together what had happened.
Although Roche had safely reunited with Ves the previous night, the Kaedweni pursuers had arrived soon afterward. Once they confirmed that Roche's group had taken Anaïs with them, they concentrated their efforts on blocking every route back toward the Temerian camp.
Pressed harder and harder, the Blue Stripes had accidentally stumbled into the Scoia'tael camp in the northeast.
Sensing something was wrong, Angoulême had first carried the unconscious Triss farther away, then ordered the Scoia'tael to ready their bows.
Only after Geralt intervened to help Roche, and Angoulême saw that little Anaïs was with them, did she order the elves to fire on the pursuing Kaedweni soldiers.
"Geralt, Angoulême, thank you. Temeria owes both of you a debt."
Remembering exactly who those supporting archers were, Roche paused briefly before continuing.
"And I suppose I owe the Scoia'tael one as well...
"The summit has already begun. We need to get Anaïs to Natalis immediately, or everything will be too late. But I don't know whether the road is safe. Geralt, will you help me?"
The request was sincere and difficult to refuse.
With virtually all his manpower gone, the commander of the Blue Stripes truly needed the witcher's help.
After discussing the matter, they decided that Geralt would help Roche and Ves escort Anaïs to the amphitheatre.
Angoulême would remain at the camp with the Scoia'tael and protect the unconscious Triss.
...
And so, events returned to the present.
Before the eyes of everyone gathered in the amphitheatre, Ves descended the steps holding Anaïs La Valette by the hand.
The little girl wore elegant clothing appropriate for the occasion. Though her steps were somewhat timid, they were firm as she approached John Natalis.
The regent exchanged a grateful glance with his adjutant, then guided Anaïs forward so everyone could clearly see her.
Placing both hands on the little girl's small, thin shoulders, John Natalis suddenly felt invincible, filled with courage.
His voice rang with strength.
"Noble delegates, I ask all of you to forget what was said earlier, because circumstances have changed decisively.
"Look closely. This is Anaïs La Valette, in whose veins flows royal blood. She is the legitimate heir to the throne of Temeria."
"But the child is illegitimate," Henselt challenged.
Natalis struck his breastplate.
"This girl will be taken to Vizima and placed in the care of the nobility. She may be too young to ascend the throne, but Temerian succession law allows precisely for such circumstances. It is a law publicly proclaimed by the noble Foltest before his death."
No one present could dispute that fact.
Thus Anaïs's right of succession received general recognition.
In one corner, Geralt stood with his arms folded.
"Roche, do you think the girl will really sit on Temeria's throne someday?"
The commander of the Blue Stripes gazed ahead, his expression profound.
"Natalis won't let anyone harm her. And neither will we."
Back in the center of the gathering, Temeria's regent continued.
"Now that Temeria's continued unity has been established, there is another matter I must clarify.
"I am honored to represent Temeria at this important meeting, but I am merely a regent. I cannot guarantee that some baron will not later refuse to recognize my signature.
"What I mean is that on the matters of the Pontar Valley and the Council of Mages, I lack the support necessary to speak for the entire kingdom.
"I also understand the limits of my authority as a soldier. Therefore, for the remainder of these discussions, I will remain silent and observe."
After speaking, he stepped back twice, assuming an attitude of diplomatic neutrality and leaving the outcome to the others.
The shift in circumstances made Radovid frown, but there was nothing he could do about it. He could only turn his attention toward the next subject.
His gaze moved toward Saskia.
The Dragonslayer of Aedirn still wore her gray-blue armor today. Her short golden hair shone brilliantly, and her beauty was breathtaking.
Behind her stood a squad of dwarven warriors from Vergen, every one of them fully armed and carrying a powerful crossbow.
The King of Redania waved one arm.
"If I remember correctly, the Pontar Valley is Aedirnian territory."
"You're wrong, Radovid. Vergen is free," Saskia retorted without yielding an inch.
Radovid looked at her as though she'd said something absurd.
"Free? What exactly is that supposed to mean?"
"Freedom is a remarkable word. It can take the place of food and inspire people to fight!
"All you need to know is that from this day forward, Lormark belongs neither to Kaedwen nor to Aedirn. Upper Aedirn no longer answers to Aedirn either. These lands belong to Vergen itself. We have ended Prince Stennis's rule."
The Virgin of Aedirn's bold declaration caused quite a stir throughout the gathering.
"You should address him as King Stennis..." Radovid reminded her unhappily.
Saskia couldn't have cared less.
"Whether he's been crowned changes nothing! It was my army that dealt Henselt's forces a crushing defeat heard across the North!"
"My dear lady, your great army is nothing more than a rabble of rebellious peasants and elven bandits. Sooner or later they'll have to swear allegiance to someone. People without a sovereign or cause will eventually be defeated and scattered."
"The people of the Pontar Valley will swear allegiance to me, Queen Saskia. As an independent nation, the Saskia's Republic has come here to declare its support for rebuilding the Council of Mages."
"You may be a charismatic woman, but don't forget your humble origins. The only crown you're fit to wear is a wreath woven from wildflowers. Redania will never recognize your coronation."
"King Radovid, in that case, you're welcome to try marching an army into the Pontar Valley!
"Henselt, the last surviving scion of the Dynasty of the Unicorn, has already recognized the Pontar Valley as a free state. He's standing right beside you, so feel free to ask him yourself. Philippa Eilhart can also testify to the agreement."
Henselt lowered his head but did not refute her.
Radovid raised his chin slightly.
"Ha. Philippa Eilhart is currently being transported to my dungeon to await trial for treason!"
"Radovid, Lady Eilhart may have been in your dungeon, but she has already been successfully rescued. And I am delighted to inform everyone present that she will serve as my royal adviser in Vergen."
The Virgin's tone was light and cheerful as she countered him.
At that exact moment, a soldier approached the Redanian king and whispered something into his ear.
After hearing the report, Radovid's face abruptly turned livid.
He glared at Saskia as though he wanted to devour her alive.
In the center of the amphitheatre, the young king and the newly proclaimed queen continued their fierce verbal duel, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage.
...
While they argued, events were unfolding elsewhere, at Geoffrey Monck's former residence, now Philippa Eilhart's home.
The magical trap cast by the sorceress had clearly been configured with a limited duration.
The cyan barrier originally intended to capture thieves lasted less than two minutes. Just as the witcher was on the verge of deciphering it, the barrier automatically collapsed and vanished.
Standing in the center of the magic circle, Victor shrugged.
His gaze swept across the two steel golems, which remained standing exactly where they had been, as though they had never moved since ancient times.
After finally recovering from the shockwave Philippa had blasted him with, Iorveth limped over to Victor's side and watched him remove the rune-inlaid counterspell dagger from the chest.
The weapon upon which they now placed so much hope was roughly the same length as an ordinary dagger. Its blade had an undulating shape, and unknown inscriptions had been engraved in relief along its surface.
"Strange weapon. I've never seen anything shaped like this before. I hope it works. Shame that Eilhart bitch still managed to escape."
"I would've thought you'd at least be grateful she showed some restraint. If she'd followed that attack with a fireball, you'd either be boiling with passion or smelling delicious by now!"
"..."
A terrible joke was terrible precisely because it left everyone too cold to respond.
The witcher securely fastened the counterspell dagger to his belt.
"Come on! Let's head to the amphitheatre and find Saskia. But frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if she attacks us. Someone under magical control isn't going to understand that we're trying to help her."
The instant Saskia was mentioned, the elven commander forgot his embarrassment.
"I believe you're right, but please don't kill her. Unless you absolutely have to in order to save your own life..."
Victor nodded.
"I promise I'll do everything in my power to bring Saskia back."
The instant those words left his mouth, inspiration suddenly flashed through the witcher's mind.
Philippa had sought an opportunity to secure independence for the Pontar Valley.
She had admitted that the Lodge of Sorceresses had orchestrated Demavend's assassination, yet denied ordering the kingslayers to attack Foltest.
Síle had also clearly intervened to protect Henselt, proving that the Lodge wanted to preserve the balance of power among the Northern Kingdoms.
If they were both telling the truth, then there could only be one answer.
Someone else had truly hired the witchers of the School of the Viper.
Considering who stood to benefit most from the collapse of Temeria, and perhaps the entire North, along with Ambassador Shilard's constant presence throughout the affair, Nilfgaard's level of suspicion suddenly soared beyond measure.
Silently comparing every clue and fitting them together in his mind, Victor rubbed the tip of his nose with the back of his hand.
"Iorveth, I'll stake my grandfather's honor on it. The mystery of the kingslayers is finally solved.
"Can you believe it? I've already seen how this summit at Loc Muinne ends!"
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