KINGDOM OF RIVIA -
Sebastian sat near the window of the carriage, his yellow eyes fixed on the approaching city of Rivia, their banners fluttering in the breeze, the city was alive with activity, its streets crowded with people from all corners of the North, its gates flanked by soldiers in the colors of Lyria and Rivia.
The royal palace of Rivia was a masterpiece of Northern architecture, its walls of pale stone were full of banners, the banners of the Northern kingdoms fluttered from its towers, their colors bright against the grey sky, Temeria's blue and gold, Aedirn's crimson and black, Kaedwen's black and gold, Redania's red and white, Kovir and Poviss's red and gold. They were a tapestry of unity, a symbol of the fragile alliance that held the North together against the growing threat of the South.
But not a single Nilfgaardian banner flew among them nor any of its vassal states.
Sebastian's eyes swept over the gathered banners, his expression unreadable. The city was a fortress of Northern pride, a bastion of resistance against the Empire that sought to swallow them all. The soldiers who lined the streets were watchful, their hands resting on their weapons, their eyes scanning the crowds for any sign of trouble.
Triss leaned closer to Seb as they walked in the couryard of the palace. "The king doesn't trust any of the Northern monarchs. Whatever they will discuss here, it is just him getting information that's all. He knows that most of them have their own agendas, their own ambitions. The alliance is a marriage of convenience, not of love."
Sebastian nodded slowly, "It is the smart thing to do. Some only care about their own kingdoms. Most care only about themselves. So yes, the alliance is fragile, it always has been, and it could shatter at any moment, a single misstep could turn friends into enemies, and he knows that, I bet some are already secretly 'friends' with Emhyr."
Triss's voice carried a note of gentle teasing, her eyes searching his face. "Tell me how you really feel, Seb. There is more going on in that head of yours than you let on."
Sebastian said his gaze still fixed on the distant walls of the palace. "Feel about what?"
Triss gestured toward the city. "Here they are, the kings and queens of the North, conspiring about Nilfgaard. Your home. What do you feel when you look at them?"
Sebastian was silent for a long moment, the sounds of the city outside the palace walls faded into the background, replaced by his own thoughts. Then he spoke.
"I feel nothing, really. Nilfgaard is not my home. It never was in a certain way, it was just a place where I was born, a place I left behind long ago."
Triss was quiet, her eyes searching his face for any sign of the emotion he claimed not to feel.
Sebastian continued. "I have no ties to my home. To me, it died with my parents. The Nilfgaard of my childhood is gone, and what remains is just a memory. A faded image that has no hold on me."
Triss asked, gently inquiring, her eyes narrowing with curiosity. "But you did mention to me once that your father was.."
Sebastian cut her off, "One of Emhyr's men, yes. A count, a diplomat, a trusted advisor. It still changes nothing. I don't care about politics or what happens to Nilfgaard. Kaer Morhen is in the North, and that is where my loyalty lies."
Triss's voice carried a note of impressed surprise, her eyes widening with understanding. "Wow. The training and the mutations did their work on you.. Many would still side with their own blood, no matter how far they had traveled from it."
Seb smiled. "I understand that. But the truth is, my own people are my Witcher brothers alongside Vesemir and Ciri. They are the ones I would die for without hesitation."
Triss's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"
Sebastian smiled, "And of course, Yennefer, who I owe a lot to. She taught me more than she will ever admit, even if she would never acknowledge it."
Triss's smile widened, "She does have a way of making people feel indebted to her. It is one of her many talents... still you are forgetting someone else.."
"Dandelion?" Sebastian said in an innocent way.
"Hey! You are doing this on purpose!" Triss said.
" Doing what? I have no idea what you are trying to say." Sebastian said calmly while his gaze swept the palace.
"Alright alright... you don't have to say it." Triss laughed.
Then Seb's eyes narrowed as he observed the gathered mages. "There sure are a lot of mages here in the palace. I can sense them from here."
Triss nodded. "Of course. All the court mages of the monarchs are here. I recognize all of them, some are old friends, some are old rivals, and some are both. The mage community is small, and we all know each other's secrets... mostly."
"Foltest would be surprised to know he hired a witcher of Nilfgaardian origin to protect him. I wonder what he would think if he knew." Sebastian said.
"He doesn't need to know that. Witchers are neutral.. let's go with that. That is what you told him, anyway. And it is true, in a way." Triss said calmly.
Sebastian's eyes met hers. "A little lie we tell ourselves. We always pick a side, the only question is which side we choose and why, and it is always a selfish answer, the safest too."
They entered a massive hall in the Rivian Palace. The room was vast, its ceiling soaring high above them, it was filled with the scent of perfume and wine, and the murmur of conversations.
King Foltest moved through the crowd with the ease, he was surrounded by some of his men, their eyes watchful, Sebastian walked behind him, his yellow eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of threat, his senses attuned to the subtle shifts in the room.
The kings and queens of the North were gathered for a royal feast before the actual summit, which would take place the next day. To the common folk outside, this was a royal gathering to celebrate the Northern victory in the Second Northern War that had ended a year ago. But those in the know understood that this was a gathering of power, a meeting of the minds that would shape the future of the North.
Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia welcomed them all, a hostess who took her duties seriously. "King Foltest! Welcome to Rivia! We are honored to have you here. Your presence graces our humble halls."
Foltest inclined his head. "The honor is mine, Queen Meve. Your hospitality is legendary, and I have been looking forward to this gathering for weeks."
They all exchanged pleasantries, their words carrying the weight of political maneuvering.
King Radovid of Redania was among them, his sharp eyes fixed on the witcher and Triss Merigold who stood behind Foltest and the bard who was not far from them already talking with a Noble lady. He was a young king, his face pale, his beard neatly trimmed, he was accompanied by a contingent of bodyguards, their faces hard, their hands resting on their swords.
"King Foltest," Radovid said with a fake smile. "A witcher as your personal guard, and a bard as well? Quite the fancy combination. I must say, I did not expect you to bring such... colorful companions to a gathering of this importance."
Foltest's smile was thin. "Sebastian here is a Witcher that has proven himself to be a capable protector, and Master Dandelion's songs are a welcome addition to any journey. They have both earned their place at my side through their actions."
Radovid's eyes swept over Sebastian. "A witcher. I have heard much about your kind. Tell me, witcher, do you serve the North, or do you serve only your own interests? I have heard that witchers are neutral, but I have also heard that neutrality is often a convenient lie."
Sebastian's voice was calm, his eyes meeting Radovid's with an unwavering gaze. "I serve the one who hired me, Your Majesty. I am a witcher, and my word is my bond. I do not break contracts, and I do not betray those who trust me."
Radovid smiled. "So a man of honor and a whore are basically the same? They both serve the one that pays them... How refreshing.." He paused, his voice carrying a note of veiled warning. "I hope you are as skilled as you are honorable, witcher. There are many dangers in the North, and not all of them wear the faces of monsters."
"I have faced worse, Your Majesty. And I am still standing, I intend to keep it that way." Sebastian said.
Radovid's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He turned and walked away, his bodyguards following close behind.
The feast continued, the kings and queens mingling, their conversations a careful dance of power and intrigue. The food was exquisite, the wine flowed freely, and the music was provided by the finest musicians in the North. But beneath the surface of celebration, the tensions of the summit simmered, waiting for the right moment to boil over, even before the day of the actual summit.
/-\
If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Shadow Monarch: In One Piece / Shadow Monarch in DC
&
If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my pat-reon / FrenzyAren"
You can Get Access to More Chapters Ahead of Release on All of My Stories!