Visiting Triss in Novigard

It was almost dusk. The low-hanging Sun basked the port city of Novigrad in a warm orange haze that went a long way to mask the caked-on mud and shit that covered the ground and walls just outside the southern gates.

Ciri walked past a few poor beggars, her boots splashing in the small puddles of mud. She smiled at them sadly for she had no food or coin to spare. She had been in a small village south of here when the Wild Hunt had appeared. She had been foolish and had thought she had more time before they would find her. She had barely made it out of there with the clothes on her back, let alone her coin purse. If her luck didn't pick up she would be going hungry tonight as well.

The large steel gate loomed over her as she passed through. The two guards on duty gave her an appreciative glance before going back to harassing a pair of non-humans who were seeking entrance to trade.

Novigrad would offer her protection, for a short while at least. The streets ran thick with people during the day making it easy to hide in the big city and even the Wild Hunt wouldn't risk a full out attack on a city as large and well-armed as Novigrad. They would wait, and that would give her time. Time to rest. Time to find her friends.

Ciri knew Triss was here somewhere in the city and had even heard rumors as to where. She kept her head down, ignored the catcalls and merchants trying to hock their wares and instead focused on making her way to one of the poorer districts in Novigrad. On the way, she slipped through the marketplace and discreetly lifted a hooded cloak from one of the tables. The nights would be cold this close to the water and she needed to be prepared if she was to spend it alone.

Tossing the cloak over her shoulders, Ciri obscured her face under the hood and walked until she reached a tall house. Its foundations seemed to sink in one side making the house lean precariously as if it was about to fall.

'If my information is correct, this is the place,' Ciri thought to herself. Finding a place out of sight, the young monster hunter watched and waited.

It wasn't long before Triss appeared. She was easy to spot; Triss's crimson red hair would stand out in a crowd, let alone a nearly empty city street. Ciri stood, ready to show herself but paused when she noticed a small group of men approach Triss.