Welcome to Flotsam.

Geralt take a look at two kids with same stoic face, marveling at the twists of fate. First was his Destiny, the Child of Surprise, she brought light to his life and he loved her dearly.

He had no idea what a father should do or how father feels, but it should be something like that.

Second... here Geralt was even more uncertain. The boy reminded Eskel before coming to Kaer Morhen, but way more able and powerful. And more mature. He was a kid to Geralt never the less, and it was hard to have attitude of the peer, thus inadvertently it gave birth to some protective instincts in the witcher, something actually very similar he felt to Ciri all the time not wanting to let her go out of his sight even for a moment.

But what differed for the boy was strictness.

He wanted to use all his knowledge to iron the kid into something really powerful, for him to be able to stand against any foe. Sometimes, he marveled what Yen will say if he one day shows her not one, but two kids to take care off and train in magic.

But another times, he remembered their last meeting and felt dull. Dull pain? Dull emptiness? Dull reflexive response with feelings, that by right shouldn't be there? He didn't know for sure, but one thing was clear as day. There is no way he can forget her in this life.

He tried and failed and then gave up to do so, simply living with it.

"You keep looking at me old man." - said Alan while taking a branch and moving some glowing embers and gazing at sparks flying in the darkness of the night.

"You don't sleep." - said Geralt heavily not removing his gaze.

Alan raised his own, outlined by the light of the dying fire. There witcher saw many things and got the answer.

"I don't." - said Alan and again lowered his gaze to look at the fire that was already going out.

Then, he straightened his back and entered meditation, placing one hand above Ciri's shoulders, as there was nowhere to place it otherwise. The girl didn't even think of waking up.

He casted a levitation spell on her and softened the earth for the night, so that she will sleep comfortably even on the ground and then removed his scarf to wrap around her. He actually didn't need it now, albeit he was never able to understand what it can do, aside from being very sturdy when required and the ability to repair itself from mana.

One of the really helpful qualities of the scarf, that is a trait to hold constant warm temperature for the user, was never implemented for him, as his blood was very special, granting quite a high level of immunity to elements, that is only becoming stronger since evolution of Tenebris and his constant meditations, during which he used not only mana, but bloodline force to enhance his body.

It was already nearing winter, soon, a week or two and a first snow will rain down. They need to be fast to arrive to Kaer Morhen before real blizzards blocked mountain pass, or it will be very troublesome to go through the Path to the witcher fortress.

They named it Path of Torment, or Tormenter, not for show. If even witchers call their running track among mountains like that, other's won't ever dare to traverse it at all.

Eventually a real snowstorm got them unaware at the southern reaches to Flotsam.

"By far not the best place to stuck in during winter." - gave Geralt his usual apathetic face, but two youths, boy and a girl nodded in unison. One knowing what a shithole this place is and the other simply agreed with most Geralt said and does like a commoner will to a King's decree.

'Let's just hope it is not like in the game, or we will really have a bloodbath coming with this charming lass here.'

Throughout the journey Alan with great effort taught her meditation method to use bloodline as a medium for synchronization between magic gift and body, thus effectively making her whole being stronger and adapted to all she is gifted with by birth.

Well, it did wonders to her. By the day she was becoming more and more beautiful. Ciri already was described as very beautiful girl, but that did a number even on her, being eleven already she was nearing age where one will look like a charming girl, not a little kid.

She was wearing a custom made pants with battle attire and very comfortable boots, that Alan ordered during their two days stay in Maribor, as Geralt lacked money to do that. Actually, Alan insisted to perform a full maintenance of their equipment in local forge, ran by a mercantile and foulmouthed dwarf.

Well, he was like that until Alan showed money, afterwards it all was the same in language, but faster in deeds. Geralt thanked him stiffly. It was unclear whether it hit his self esteem, but Alan made sure to talk to him about money issues after that matter. After all, he had a pile of pure gold and paying for that was less than an issue.

What Ciri was adamant to keep to herself was Alan's scarf. Actually, the later agreed and gifted it to her. Right now he deemed it necessary for the unruly girl to keep it. Last what they need is Ciri catching a cold. However it was clear the girl loved it to death and said that it was 'terribly cool and terrifyingly important'.

What actually he didn't notice, that he felt fine with her taking a relic and a present of Selena, that was actually very precious to Alan not only as part of equipment he was yet to understand, but memory. Perhaps the core reason was the fact that he remembered all clearly and Selena never faded from his memory to need anything to signify their connection.

It seems he just thought about these things a bit differently than normal people. He found material symbols outweighed by significance of memories.

Flotsam was located at the border between Temeria and Aedirn. It is a watershed town for trade, however the proper expansion of it is halted to snails pace by uneven terrain and impassable dense forest grown by the both sides of Pontar. It is good enough to not let it reconquer the land away from civilization here, let alone build something new.

Thus merchants actually never used a water route for trade and the town became a passing mark and a juicy fruit to collect official taxes and underground tributes. But in reality it was one hell of a den full of drunkards, whores and drug addicts with brain well-done by fisstech.

As far as Alan knew, after collecting some gossip about Flotsam, it was like that for ages and no one gives a damn.

"Charming place." - grumbled Geralt and dismounted from his horse. He never fastened swords to Plotva this time, like he sometimes did while entering cities and towns. Says a lot about general local society and law.

"Charming guards." - added Alan dismounting from his black Sparky and putting swords on his back under envious gaze of Ciri. For a while she kept nagging Geralt to have a sword. Alan turned around and looked at her, cloaked. Forest green eyes almost shined at him under her hood and ashen hair were now assembled in pony tail with a loose strand going along her nearly perfect face. - "What will you do with it, smash your foot?" - said Alan in Geralt manner making him snort and Ciri roll her eyes at him.

"Who ar' ya?" - screamed a guard in unfit uniform, unbuttoned and showing not only dense vegetation of his chest, but highly intellectual face. That is... if one is able to find intellect on the face remodeled by a brick in the image of a ram.

Geralt removed his hood and stared at the gate guard who seems to be slightly wobbly on his legs, but lack alcohol smell.

"Oh cockold twatlicking grandpa of mine!" - screamed a man backing away, but after a second suddenly stops, hitting something with his head. He barely pronounced another sentence. - "Err, ya a... how ya again, hic?" - and hits the ground snoring.

"Oh boy..." - said Ciri covering her burning cheeks with palms. She saw many things during their adventure, but that man was by far one of the most colorful examples of local fauna. No, well, perhaps he was a representative of flora after all. Hard to tell the difference, especially now, when he is taking a nap with content of his own stomach.

"I believe we were invited with great hospitality." - threw Geralt his apathetic remark before knocking in the door like a gentleman of his stature will. With a boot and full breadth of his large soul.

Some port language was heard and several footsteps, after which a pigs snort came out of little window on the door.

"Whacha doin', damn freak?" - screamed another guard.

"I am knocking." - said Geralt with no emotion. - "Are you opening or should I continue knocking harder?"

"He-he. Ten orens each. And ya swords stays with us and... wha... a woma'! Ya, lass, stay nigh' with bros!" - happily grinned the gatekeeper and one can hear cheers behind him.

"Open the door." - said Geralt making an Axii sigh with his hands.

"Okay." - said the man and opened them.

Geralt while moving pass him gave a perfect jab to the face, displacing his nose. Soldier barely was able to remain standing when a fist came at his stomach from a second newcomer. That he wasn't able to stand through and crumbled on the floor.

Ciri not to be outdone while passing over kicked him with all her might straight in the balls. Man screamed for a very short time before passing out due to pain.

"Did you teach her that?" - asked Geralt while turning around and looking at the guard.

"No. Must be woman intuition." - shook his head Alan with sweat all over his forehead.

"Terrifying..." - they whispered simultaneously while looking at Ciri who was clearly very pleased with herself.