The long road to Novigrad (Part 1)

I feel the light coming through the windows as we are sleeping. I clean the sleep out of my eyes as this is first light. We need to head out soon and get on the road. Ciri is still sleeping and I am firmly locked in her grip. I'm upset I have to wake her up and continue moving, I have stray thoughts of just staying right here and waiting. Waste the time away with her and ignore all of our troubles. I clear my head and focus on the goal. "C'mon Ciri its time to go." I shake her slightly and she begins to move.

She groans in a tired voice and doesn't look happy. She was always a morning person growing up, guess that changed about her. "Time to leave already?" She didn't get the sleep she wanted it seems. I am still tired to, but I am used to sleepless nights. She looks like she is going to lay down and go back to sleep. That isn't happening on my watch, I pick her up in a bridal style and carry her to our clothes. She just relaxes in my arms as our heat warms each other.

I'm enjoying that I get to take care of her in this moment. I sit her in a soft chair and she finally opens her eyes and looks at me. "It's time to go Ciri, the sooner we get to Novigrad the better." She looks at me while she is still in her underwear. I toss her clothes to her and she hugs them to her chest and looks at me with a tired smile. I don't know what she is thinking, but I wont wait any longer. "C'mon Ciri, I am already dressed and I'm just waiting for you." This doesn't speed her up however. She stands up in her underwear and puts the clothes on the chair.

She then gives me a full view of her in her underwear. Beautiful white laced underwear that is very tempting. "What's the rush Cera~~ Novigrad isn't going anywhere~~." She sure plays a mean game. I am not going to be dragged or forced into this again. I can't help looking up and down her body a few times though. She gives a smirk and comes closer and starts kissing me with her soft body on me. I am slowly losing myself and the only thing that brings me back is my drive to find Avallac'h. I pull away much to her disappointment and more than slight anger. I can tell she is displeased, I might want to hurry and explain myself.

I think quickly, but her displeasure grows more and more the longer she waits. "I wouldn't stop you if we had the time, but we simple can't afford the time for our desires right now. It won't be a fast one either, when we do it again, it will be longer than last time." I see her relax and accept with rosy cheeks. I am being truthful, I want it for all night long, not 30 minutes in the morning. She turns around and bends forward with me still looking. Damn it Ciri, I will pay you back for this. As I am getting an incredible show, it gets cut off with her pants fully covering her lower half now. My head clears as she turns around and puts her shirt on.

I prepare our weapons and hand hers to her. "Next time I wont take no for an answer." I'll have to accept that and prepare for next time then. "How do you think we should get to Novigrad with all these checkpoints, they wont let us through easy." She brings up a good point. If they don't let us through then we will have to make a path. I am not apposed to killing if it means I get to Novigrad. The part of me that wouldn't do that died long ago. We need to do what we can to win, and if that means doing the worst than I'll make the hard choice and do it myself. I wouldn't force that on anyone else. The more time we have to search in Novigrad the better.

I know that they have a border that goes across the river that leads straight to Novigrad. If we cant get through and there are to many to kill. We will have to take the long way around. It will be a detour, but since we aren't soldiers it will be a simple journey. "We will play our best options for the time being. We are both smart, I am confident that we will come up with something that will work incase it proves difficult." I know she has a good head on her shoulders and I know that we make a deadly team. I just wonder why it has to be so hard. This war couldn't have come at a worse time.

We exit the Inn and make our way to our horses. We unstrap them and hop on. We take off towards the end of town and start our journey. Slowly riding side by side I can see that something it bothering Ciri. It would be best to ask her and help clear her mind so she can focus.

I bring my horse closer to her and look to her slightly. "What's bothering you Ciri?" I want to help with whatever problems she has. Yen told me sometimes a girl just wants someone to listen instead of fix her problems. I can do that to, I have already done so for her already in the last two days.

She looks at me with a strained smile. "I have heard bad things happening in Novigrad while I was talking to the Baron before we met. He said that Radovid is becoming worse in his treatment of non-humans. The church of the eternal fire is making it twice as worse there and in surrounding places." Now that is new information. It has been a long time since I was in Novigrad. This Radovid could spill trouble for us. I don't know what he and this church have against non-humans, but we would be smart to avoid him.

I think to myself and I know that isn't what is truly bothering her. "Is that all that you are worried about Ciri?" I hope I am not pushing to hard right now. I will know by her reaction.

She looks at me with flushed cheeks and answers. "It's a lady problem Cera. I am afraid you can't help with that." I see now. I guess I have nothing to worry about if it is something that I can't understand at all. If it was combat or advice I may have had something. I don't know enough about the female body to help however.

"I wont bother you then. Yen always told me that I should not ask anymore after a woman says that." It was sound advice too. She gave me so much that helped with my problems in everyday life. She is the smartest, but not the most wise person I know. I hope she is doing alright after all this time.

~~~(POV Ciri)~~~

I shouldn't tell him till I know for sure. I know that there was a big risk when we did it without any protection. I shouldn't worry since he will be the father, but I should have been more responsible. I lost control of myself when I was with him. Yen would criticize me hard if she new what I was thinking right now. I was already a week late for my period, my body has a tendency to keep my eggs longer than a normal woman. Unknown to her this is an effect of the Elder Blood. An unconscious connection was made between the two of them when they were kids. This resulted in the magic of the two knowing if the other was close. After Cera was waiting in Crow Perch, Ciri's magic had sensed him and begun to prepare. They never stood a chance when it came to potential offspring. It was going to happen no matter what they did to resist temptation. Special Magic does a lot of special things. Much to the shock of others, the descendants of Lara Dorren have all gone through this. Even the parents of Cera and the parents of Ciri had this happen to them.

I need to prepare if I am pregnant. I read some books about it on my journeys, but I need to confirm with a mage or doctor in Novigrad when I get the chance. I hope this wont ruin any of our plans for the wild hunt, but I cant stop the smile at the thought of having a family with Cera. I turn to him and see him smile at me.

"What has got you in a good mood all of a sudden?" I cant tell him yet because I don't even know. I can just give a vague truth though.

"I was day dreaming about the future, after the wild hunt and this war." I say to him. He gives me a strange look and asks as question I was not ready for.

"Why would the war affect us after the wild hunt?" Shit, I said to much. He doesn't know that I am a princess of many thrones. This will affect his future too. I wont let him leave my side if I am to take a throne in the future. I am sure that is why Emyr is looking for me. To solidify his rule and make me empress. Well I wont consider any of this if Cera cant be with me. The thought of retiring to a farm or plot of land with him by my side doesn't sound bad either. "Well the world will change after this war. How can it not affect our lives." He looks satisfied with that answer. I need to be careful with what I say to him about me being a princess.

We continue on our slow journey as we follow the path and watch the nature as we continue to talk about things. This is a good day in my opinion, I even consider it a date. I don't know what Cera is thinking, but I know he is happy right now.