Red- The Witcher

Loyalty

Cahir

Francesca was on a rampage, killing every child she saw. She knew that Mother had lied to her but there was a wave of deep-rooted anger coming out of her. I couldn't stop her because my mother had done this and also, she would be exactly like this if I had died.

I was sitting at a dining table in the Cintran council with other Nilfgaardian generals. I had struck my piece of chicken with a knife and was too sick in the stomach to eat. My chalice of wine was in my hand as I regretted my chance in delivering Cirilla to the Emperor.

As I was in my thoughts when I felt ice consume me and my body went frozen. I could still feel the air brush against my skin and I could hear and see but I couldn't move. The chalice was getting heavy in my hand as I struggled to turn my head. I dragged my eyes to see Fringilla had entered, her magic keeping us locked in motion.

She began walking around the table, killing each of the other men, talking about power as a mage. She didn't talk about taking the highest power, the Emperor's, but just making a statement in Nilfgaard; making her mark.

Once she had killed the rest, she came to me, a knife coming close to my eye. I felt my breath quicken as my eyes tried to focus on the blade. I finally controlled my breath, waiting for a scream to echo for miles because Mother was coming to my rescue, but it never did, meaning I wasn't in much danger.

"I don't want a banshee on my ass," she stated. "And, you're my friend, Cahir. You're in a lot of trouble and these men weren't going to help you out of it. They'd drag me into your mess and we'd get killed.

"What is your mess? You may ask," she said. "Your Mother. She makes our alliance weak with the Elves by lying to Francesca about her baby, and she brings Cirilla into the kingdom. The worse part is you aided in her hiding. Stupidly, I didn't do anything because it was your job to take her to Emhyr!"

She finally flicked her wrist and I was able to move, taking a deep breath, setting down my chalice. "How am I supposed to search for her if I don't know why?"

She gave me an absurd look. "You're supposed to be loyal and not ask any questions. But it's fine, I'll just fix it as I always do. Emhyr is coming sooner than we expected and he cannot know that we let the girl go. When he asks what we've been up to, we tell him that we killed the baby."

"That defeats the purpose of the alliance or whatever the hell we're doing with the Elves!" I refute. "I'm not claiming that I killed a baby in his name! He can't tell us what we're in for and he expects us to do it!"

"Are you questioning the White Flame?" she inquired. "You, out of all of us, are most feared because he put you in charge to look for Cirilla and now you've changed your mind. Is it because of your mother? You've been well off without her and now that she's shown up, you've become weak."

"Don't talk about my mother like that again," my voice cracked. I was now standing, breathing heavily, and clicked my tongue. "I am still loyal to Emhyr."

"Then do as I say when he comes tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes. He's come to see the kingdom we conquered and he'd love to see that we have power over the Elves as well. The final step is to get the girl."

———————

I had dressed in a new suit of black and gold armor and held the helmet with the feather on top under my arm. I took a deep breath before walking out of my room to see Fringilla, in light blue, down the hallway.

As we walked, I straightened out my back, feeling my cape fly behind me and we neared the palace entrance. Guards stood beside the Emperor and we stood behind him as his only council standing. The guards posted at the doors opened it and we entered the hall, soldiers and other noblemen standing there.

They turned as we walked down the aisle. Fringilla was whispering all the great things we had done before his appearance and she glanced at me before saying that we killed the new Elven baby.

"Impossible," Emhyr said. I frowned at Fringilla. "I was the one who ordered the kill."

My mouth hung open when he went up the stairs and I followed him to stand on his right, Fringilla on the other. He began an opening speech to the men as I stood there, in shock, drowning out his words.

My shock turned into thinking and I remembered how ill Mother was when she heard the Emperor's name. It then struck me that she knew about Emhyr and his plan. She knew when Francesca had asked about the well-being of the baby and she lied. For what reason, I did not know because she was a woman of confusion. She always knew too much but never shared information.

Soon, the Emperor dismissed the men, leaving him, Fringilla, and me in the empty room, decorated with our flags. I finally snapped out of my trance and faced the man who stood from his throne.

"Why?"

"Why did you lie to me?" Emhyr asked.

"It just doesn't make any sense. Why would you kill a baby that has nothing to do with you?!"

"It has everything to do with me!" he shouted back. "You dare to be questioning my rule, Commander. You were too stupid to do a task so I had to send someone else to retrieve Cirilla."

"Why do you want her so badly?" I questioned. "It's going to be hard because she has Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt of Rivia, and Sage Anika Dyffryn, all protecting her. Very powerful, inhumane people unlike-" I couldn't finish my sentence when he struck me across the cheek.

He had been wearing a thick glove and it was hard against my skin, snapping my head to the side, and it left a red mark. I held my cheek, looking at his furrowed eyebrows.

"Your loyalty to me has been misplaced, Cahir," he said. He had said my name, not my ranking title. "You've been misplaced. Fringilla..."

"Yes?"

"Lock him up," he said. "He will be a demonstration to those who disobey me."

I dropped my helmet, hearing it tumble down the short stairs. Fringilla cast a spell, making me bound to do whatever she had me do and I could tell it broke her. She forced me out of the room and down to the cells.

"What's wrong with you, Cahir?" she asked, her voice coarse. "Not even I can help you, now. I'm sorry but you've dug your grave too deep."

She let go of her enchantment and I turned to see the look of pity on her face. She pursed her lips and grabbed the door to close. When the hinges moved to be locked, I heard a siren from a distance. I looked at Fringilla to see if she heard it too and she gulped, still locking me in after the signal of death.