Chapter Eleven
‘So,’ Philippa said, ‘all is taken care of.’
‘No,’ said Ciri.
Francesca Findabair snorted quietly. Sile de Tansarville raised her head and her expression hardened.
‘I have to think about it,’ Ciri said. ‘Meditate. Put my thoughts in order. Calmly. And when I’m done I will come back here, to Montecalvo, and come before this Lodge and discuss what has been decided.’
Sile moved her lips, as if she had noticed a bad taste in her mouth and wanted to sit it out immediately. But she remained silent.
‘I have to meet,’ continued Ciri, ‘with the witcher Geralt in the city of Rivia. I promised that I would be there and that Yennefer would accompany me. I will fulfil my promise, with or without your consent. Lady Rita, here knows that, when I go to Geralt, I can always find a hole in the wall.’
Margarita Laux-Antille nodded with a smile.
‘I need to talk to Geralt. Say goodbye to him. And tell him the truth. You should know one thing, ladies. When we left castle Stygga, leaving behind their dead and ours, I asked Geralt if it was all over, if we had won, if evil was defeated then good had prevailed. He did not answer, he just smiled a sad smile. I thought it was from fatigue and the sorrow of leaving all his friends buried under the walls. Only now I know what his smile meant. It was a sympathetic smile at the naivety of a child who believed that killing Vilgefortz and Bonhart represented the triumph of good over evil. have to try and convince Geralt that what you ladies want to do with me, differs substantially from what Vilgefortz wanted to do with his glass tube. I’ll try and explain to him the differences between castle Montecalvo and castle Stygga, although Vilgefortz thought he was doing was for the good of the world and you ladies also do for the good of the world. I know it is not going to be easy to convince as old wolf like Geralt. Geralt will say that I’m a brat and can easily be fooled into doing noble things. But I have to try. It is important that he understand it, that he accepts it. It is very important. Also for you ladies.’
‘you did not understand,’ Sile de Tansarville snapped sharply. ‘You’re still a snotty nosed girl who replaced whining with arrogance. The only thing that gives me some hope is the acumen of your mind. You learn quickly. Believe me, you will soon laugh at the stupid things you have said here. Relative to your trip to Rivia, I express my strong opposition. It is a matter of principle, to prove to you that I, Sile de Tansarville, never talk to the wind. That I can grab the necks of the rebellious. It is for your own good, to learn discipline.’
‘Therefore, let us resolve this issue,’ said Philippa Eilhart, placing her hands on the table. ‘Let each of us express our opinion. Should we allow this arrogant maid, Ciri, to travel to Rivia? To meet with the witcher, for whom there is no place in her life? Are we to allow this sentimentality, which we will soon have to rid her of? Sile is against. What about the other ladies?’
‘I am also against,’ Sabrina Glevissig announced. ‘Also as a matter of principle. The girl, I like. I like her arrogance and stubbornness, it is better than flabby softness. I have nothing against her pleading. I have no doubt that she would return - I respect her word. But the girl has dared to threaten. So let her know that threats are no to be tolerated.’
‘I’m against it,’ said Keira Metz. ‘For purely practical reasons. I also like the girl and Geralt delivered me out of the hands of danger on Thanedd. It is a sentiment that I long ago gt rid of, but I do not deny that it was pleasant to me. I could repay him this way. But will not. Because you are wrong, Sabrina. This girl is a witcheress and is trying to be smarter than us. In short, she is just trying to get away.’
‘Does anyone here,’ Yennefer said ominously, dragging her words, ‘dare doubt the word of my daughter?’
‘Be silent, Yennefer,’ Philippa hissed. ‘Do not talk, or I’ll lose patience. We have two votes against. Let’s listen to the others.’
‘I am in favour of letting her go,’ said Triss Merigold. ‘I know her and can vouch for her. I would also, if permitted, accompany her on this trip. To help, if I may, in her meditations and reflections. And with her conversation with Geralt.’
‘I also vote for her,’ Margarita said with a smile. ‘You may wonder at my motivations, ladies, but I do it for Tissaia de Vries. If Tissaia was among us she would not agree that in order to maintain the unity of the Lodge it is necessary to use coercive methods or restriction of personal freedom.’
‘I vote for her,’ said Francesca Findabair, adjusting the lace at her neckline. ‘I have many reasons, but I do not wish to explain them.’
‘I vote for her,’ said Ida Emean aep Sivney. ‘So my heart dictates.’
‘I’m against it,’ Assire var Anahid said dryly. ‘I do not decide out of lack of sympathy, antipathy or principled reasons. I fear for her life. Under the protection of the Lodge, Ciri is safe and on the route to Rivia she will be an easy target. I fear those that stole her identity and even her name, still don’t think that it’s enough.’
‘We have,’ Sabrina said sarcastically, ‘yet to know the opinion of Lady Fringilla Vigo. I guess that it is obvious. We all remember the castle Rhys-Rhune.’
‘I am grateful for the reminder,’ Fringilla cocked her head proudly. ‘I am for Ciri. To prove the admiration and affection I have for the girl. I also do it for the witcher, Geralt of Rivia, without which the girl would not be sitting here today. To save Ciri, he went to the edge of the world and fought everyone trying to prevent him - even himself. It would be shameful to deny him a meeting with his daughter.’
‘I have not heard here any shameful acts,’ Sabrina said cynically. ‘But a lot of naive sentimentality. Just such sentimentality that we want to eradicate from the girl. The results are that the scales have settled in deadlock. We have not decided anything. We need to vote again. I suggest that this time we do it secretly.’
‘Why?’
All looked at the one who spoke - at Yennefer.
‘I am still a member of the Lodge,’ said Yennefer. ‘I have not been deprived of membership, you have not put anyone else in my place, so I have the right to vote. Certainly I know how I will vote. My vote therefore pushes the scales over and settles the matter.’
‘Your insolence,’ Sabrina said, lacing her fingers together, loaded with onyx rings, ‘borders on bad taste, Yennefer.’
‘If I was in your place, madam, I would keep a discreet silence,’ Sile added gravely. ‘And be fearful of another vote, to deal with you.’
‘I voted for Ciri,’ Francesca said, ‘but you, Yennefer, I have to call to order. You ran away from the Lodge, refusing to cooperate. But you have responsibilities and obligations, debts that you have to repay, the verdict must be made. Otherwise you would not have been allowed to cross the threshold of Montecalvo.’
Yennefer grabbed Ciri, who was dying to get up and scream. Finally, without resistance, Ciri dropped back into her chair in silence. Lady Owl, suddenly rose from her seat, dominating the whole table.
‘Yennefer,’ she proclaimed loudly, ‘you are not entitled to a vote, that is clear. But I am. I have heard all the voices present. I guess, I will finally make my vote.’
‘Who do you vote, Philippa?’ Sabrina frowned.
Philippa Eilhart looked across the table. She met Ciri’s green eyes and stared at them.
***
The bottom of the pond was a multicoloured mosaic, the coloured tiles appeared to move. Sitting on the pong creating shadows were the broad leaves of water lilies hiding goldfish. The water’s surface reflected the dark eyes of a little girl, her long hair floated on the water. The girl had forgotten the whole world, laying on the edge of the pool with her little hands in the water.
She went to try and touch those gold and red fish. The fish approached her fingers and palms, curiously circling around them, but she couldn’t catch them. They remained as elusive as light and shadow, as the water itself. The dark-eyed girl fingers clutched emptiness.
‘Philippa!’
It was the most beloved voice in the world. And yet she was not a little girl now. Furthermore, she was not looking into the water. The water lilies, fish and reflection were gone.
‘Philippa!’
***
‘Philippa!’ Sile de Tansarville’s sharp voice pulled her from her reflections. ‘We are waiting.’
Through the open window cam the cold wind of spring. Philippa Eilhart shuddered. Death, she thought. Death has passed by my side/
‘This Lodge,’ she said at last in a firm voice, ‘is to decide the fate of the world. So, this Lodge must reflect the world. Here, equilibrium and wisdom does not always mean cold and selfish, calculation and vileness, and sentimentality is not always naive. On one hand, iron discipline and on the other responsibility, resistance to violence, gentleness and trust. Cool reason... And heart.’
‘I,’ she said into the silence that reigned after her introduction, ‘cast the last vote. I will take into account one more thing. An element that without balancing anything, balances everything.’
Following her gaze, everyone looked at the wall, to a mosaic of many multicolour tiles depicted the snake Uroboros, biting it’s own tail.
‘That thing,’ she continued, staring with her dark eyes at Ciri, ‘is destiny in which i, Philippa Eilhart have only begun to believe in recently, which I have only recently begun to understand. Destiny is not the way to providence or comfortable fatalism. Destiny is hope. I am full of hope that it will become what we want to happen, so I give my vote to Ciri - Child of Destiny, Child of Hope’
In the pillared hall of Montecalvo the was silence for a long time. from outside of the window came the hunting cry from a sea eagle.
‘Lady Yennefer,’ Ciri whispered. ‘It means...’
‘Come, my daughter,’ Yennefer whispered back. ‘Geralt is waiting for is and it is a long road ahead.’
) 
