A plan begins to form (Finale)

[No double upload since this chapter is long. Hope you all enjoy.]

I look to the clock and see now is a good time to leave with Ciri and do the things we need to do. Jaskier told us he will deal with Whoreson Junior, we have things to take care of today. I have to deliver this letter to Francis Bedlam to repay Feralda for helping us. She didn't have any information on where he was and neither did Jaskier, so for now we just wait till Jaskier comes back with news about this Junior person. I start strapping my sword to my back as Ciri asks me a question. "Where are we heading first?" She has her mind dead set on meeting Mr. Lockhart today, its going to have to wait until we deal with this letter first.

I pull out the letter and wave it in front of Ciri. "We need to take care of this first. Feralda asked us this one thing and I plan on delivering." She nods her head in agreement. I never said no to meeting Lockhart because I do plan on meeting him. It just has to wait till after this letter, I stick it back in one of my pockets and finish getting my gear ready. I do travel very light, the biggest thing I carry around is my sword I got from Gaunter. "We should head out now. You ready Ciri?" I ask Ciri.

She just finished with her gear as well, we do have a big day ahead of us. Jaskier told us if we want to find anyone we need to talk to people in the square. If we ask the right person then we will get the information we need. "Where are we heading? I would like to know what part of town we are going to." We are going to a heavily populated part so no need to worry about running into scum for right now.

I approach the front door with Ciri right behind me. "We are heading to the main square, we'll ask the right people and find Francis. If we have time we can make a trip to Lockhart." I finish telling her as we exit the Rosemary and Thyme. I look around and see it is quite busy today, I'll have to watch for pickpockets. We aren't carrying all our coin, but I packed some to buy information. We walk side by side and I feel Ciri hitting my arm in a gesture to bring my hand out of my pocket so she can hold it. "I have to keep my hands in my pockets so nothing gets stolen Ciri." She frowns at me and huffs as she turns her head away. I wont lie that was pretty cute, we cant hold hands at the moment and I know it sucks. I just have to be cautious with thieves.

She wraps her arms in the gap that my body and elbow make. "This will have to do then." She brings her body in close and leans she head on my shoulder muscle to relax. In a way this is better, but it does feel a little one sided. "How long do you think it will take to find Francis...." She wants to speak with Lockhart first, I also want to see how much it will cost to pay for an official private wedding.

We walk the streets to the main square as the sun warms the day up. I love and hate the spring weather, it cant make up its mind of hot or cold. "It really depends on how lucky we get, Hopefully he has a well known name and it wont take too long." In all honesty it would probably take a bit of coin and time to find him. I don't know who we are looking for at the end of the day, just his name is all I have.

We pass by some stalls trying to sell food and clothes, after another 3 minutes we pass a big store with beautiful dresses in it. The ones that catch my attention are the wedding dresses, talk about finding something you need. I stop our walk and notice Ciri is relaxing with her eyes closed. "Ciri look at this...." When I finish saying that she opens her eyes and tilts her head to look at what I pointed out. Her face says everything, the dresses are very beautiful and unique. She lets go of me and approaches the window.

She is looking at the ones on display, but I can see others that are just as good in the back. "These are beautiful...." I suddenly get a mental image of Ciri in a wedding dress that takes my breath away. I am brought back to reality and I can see that Ciri is a little sad at the moment. I am going to be turning myself into a hypocrite in a second, but I think Ciri needs this.

I walk up beside her and look at the same dress she is looking at, it is very beautiful and fits her figure perfectly. "Want to go inside and check them out?" Its not like we are going to waste the day here. She turns to me in surprise, she immediately hugs me with a big smile on her face. I think this is going to make her day better, all I can really ask for in the end. We grabs my elbow area and pulls me into the store. I take my hands out of my pockets since we aren't on the street anymore.

Looking around there are people of high society in here. We stick on in the fact that we have weapons on our backs and have combat gear on. We do mix well in the fact that we are attractive people so that should make this a little easier. We make it deep in the store as Ciri picks out different things and inspects them. The craftsmanship is lovely here, reminds me on the work I have seen at Brennen's place.

As Ciri is having a good time a lady wearing fine clothes approaches us. "Are you looking for something specific? I can help with whatever you are looking for." Its not like the prices here are outrageous, but I have enough on me to place a hold on a dress if need be. I'll be using the money I brought, but money can always be made with skills like mine. I turn to the lady and smile, We shake hands as Ciri is still going through dresses and clothes ignoring what the woman said.

I stop shaking her hand and look to the dresses that Ciri likes. "We are in the market for a wedding dress." As soon as those words leave my mouth Ciri looks to me with a shocked and tearing up face. I do love surprising her. "If my fiancé picks one that she likes I'd like to place a hold on it to get more funds." The lady that is helping us smiles as she goes to the back to get paperwork. While she is doing that Ciri looks at me with a face that asked why did you do that.

I walk up to her as she has her hands full of clothes. When I reach her I kiss her forehead and take the clothes out of her hands and put them down. "Don't you want to pick one out?" I say to her in a loving and confident voice. She looks like she is going to burst out crying right now, I perhaps did something I shouldn't have. Just as I was about to say sorry she jumps onto my body hugging me. I have to hold her as she hangs on. She leans she face in my neck as I feel some wetness on my skin.

She lifts her head up and our noses are almost touching. "*Sniffle* Your an idiot.....*Sniffle*" She says that while laughing a little. I didn't do anything bad, guess the gesture meant more to her than I thought it would. She kisses my lips and cheeks expressing how happy she is right now. I just take in the shower of love she is showing me. Then we hear someone clear there throat and I turn my head with Ciri still in my grasp attached to me. I let Ciri down and I notice the lady brought back an older man with him.

He walks over to us and inspects me specifically. "Your gear and weapon suggest that you make enough money to hold a dress. What is your name son?" He is a business man first it seems, he does look familiar though, like I have met him before. I hold out my hand and we shake in a way of greeting.

I take a closer look at him and notice he is around the same age Brennen is. "I am Cera, this beautiful girl is Ciri. She is my fiancé and we are looking for a wedding dress." As I say that the man looks at the rings we are wearing specifically, he rubs his beard and turns to the lady who has the paperwork. He waves her off to give us some privacy as I look at him in confusion. He walks over to the dresses that Ciri was looking at.

He says something I did not anticipate as he is turned away from us. "I see you met my little brother Brennen, I haven't talked to him in many years. If he did work for you than you are both special people. Am I correct?" Talk about a surprise and a half. I look at Ciri and she is just as confused as I am. This man already has an idea of who we are, might as well tell him what he already knows.

I take a breath to help straighten my thoughts. Talk about a family full of talented people. "Yeah, we did meet Brennen. He is the one that made our rings. Who are you?" He turns with slightly raised eye brows and chuckles as he looks at our faces.

He stops playing with his beard and puts his hands in his pockets. "So your Cera Dorren....You are an important person....I am Wickerson Novick. Feel free to ask me anything you might need from me or my store." Well that is kind of foreboding. Do people know more about me than I do. He also is the older brother of Brennen Novick.

I look to Ciri and she catches on quick as she picks out the dress she really likes. The man nods as he calls the woman again and he puts it in the back on hold for us. He said he would give us a discount as long as he remembers his store in the future. He seems the type of person to know others in Novigrad, maybe he can point us to Francis. "I do have one question. Do you know where we can find a Francis Bedlam. I have a letter from a friend of his." The man turns and looks at me, he quickly goes into the back.

He comes out with a piece of paper with instructions on it. "That is where you can find him, you need to know someone to talk to him so I'll sponsor you." Talk about convenient, almost like it was meant to happen we leave after saying our goodbyes and we continue our day.

~~~(POV Wickerson Novick)~~~

As they leave the store I rush to the back room where the most powerful man I know is. "I have done what you asked Master O'Dimm. I know how important he is to higher positions, but why are you so invested in him." This is the man who helped me get out of my little brothers shadow and build this little paradise I have. I wouldn't have any of this without his power or connections.

He grins wickedly at me. He is someone I hoped to never meet again, but he said my debt will be settled after I help him with this. "That is for me to know my old friend. Now stay out of there way and prepare the next thing I asked for." I don't hesitate and immediately start on what he said, I don't know what you did to draw his attention Cera. I have never seen him so invested in something in all the years I have known him.