Where’s Philippa?

He bluntly spoke, “No, I purely did it to see him suffer but with Magarita here it does beg the question of... where’s MY Philippa?” Fringilla looked down disappointed by his comment but nodding in acceptance heard Yennefer question, “Your Philippa? Claimed her have you?” “Better me deal with her shit over any other poor soul” “There’s truth to that comment but can you contain her? That’s questionable!” he nodded before commenting, “I have my ways!” which caused a small amount of jealously from Triss who snapped, “The truth is she is coming, she has vouched to. When she will, how she will or if she even cares about you being here is questionable!” Zantano smirked but not in amusement but confidence as he spoke, “Oh she will care and if I were you and Geralt I would hide because this is going to get messy!”

Hours passed and whilst the others planned together Zantano remained absent, Yennefer believed it was down to him worrying about Philippa but Triss soon debunked this when she commented, “He doesn’t feel worry or concern, the closest thing he can experience to that is frustration!” Fringilla’s and Cerys interest was peaked from her latest comments and as an result Cerys sort information from Triss about her temporary assistant but from her question she could very well understand for his absence, Triss and Geralt were all over each other passionately and that it must hurt or his type of hurt, Cerys didn’t even know much about him but acknowledged this would at least piss him off and Yennefer feeling the pain from what she saw rush away upset and this made Ciri upset for the woman as she stormed out to the balcony to both Triss’ and Geralt’s “confusion.”

Yennefer walked out before jumping saw the God standing there looking out over the frozen land, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were here!” he nodded before looking back out heard, “I understand why you are out here however, they are nonstop and only care about themselves!” “It’s an logical assumption Yennefer, it probably hasn’t even dawned on Triss that you may get upset by it!” “You’re not bothered?” he shook his head as she asked puzzled, “Why are you so distant from everyone then?” “Out here or as you say “distant from everyone” allows me to calm down and stops me from wanting to beat the living shit out of Geralt, it also helps cools my body down with the snow and hail. I’m angry so out here calms me down but also because my body heat always feels like an raging inferno this makes me feel like I have just got into a cold bath!” “Or outside in barely above 0 temperatures!” he smirked before nodding queried, “You are here because...?” “I got an anger that matches yours, the difference is I can’t control mine, I want to tear them apart with my hands after what they did to us!” he nodded seeing the tears in her eyes, “I did everything for him and he does this to me! Why Geralt why?” “Simply because he is player but a poor one. Each woman is a game to him but the true masters like Ares can balance multiple at a time, he can’t! Even Philippa has tried but failed!” “She failed, how?” “She was my lover and the second man was purely for politics; it finished with my hands snapping his neck” it went silent for a few moments before taking sympathy in the sorceress he stated, “What Geralt does is cruel to you both, where Philippa’s was political his is simply sex and using you for his own ends. He acts innocent so you lash out at Triss and vice versa where the truth is he should be blamed, he causes this and you both fall for it every time, I hoped I meant more to Triss to stop this from happening again but it’s clear I don’t!” “I have so much anger in me that I could burn everything to the ground and still wouldn’t feel any calmer!” he wiped her tears away before stating seeing Ciri was now listening from afar, “**** doesn’t always help, sometimes you just have to walk away and look forward, I know I am... the anger rages now but you have to use it productively, when the time is right. My anger is boiling over but when I unleash it the Hunt will know. You don’t want to end up like Ares, an constantly angry and violent god who enjoys the chaos and blood, he only knows **** as a cure for his anger and he is resented for this!” Ciri’s eyes widened when she heard her “adoptive mother” weep in his arms, “Yennefer please don’t cry, if you do I will...” Ciri wept pulling her into an hug which caused Zantano to let go before signalling with his head for them to go somewhere quiet to talk looked back in silent fury at Triss who watching in clearly wanted to offer some comfort to the god but seeing the brown haired sorceress glaring at her in fire submissively backed away in a hurry leaving the other to adjust her dress unable to contain her happiness at the man she now saw.

She tried to creep up on him like the old days when she had done wrong but as she got nearer he simply spoke not looking away, “You were always bad at that!” she froze causing him to slowly turn around and immediately look in what some would class as shock to see her bandaged eyes, “Philippa what on Earth happened to you?” he rushed forward taking her hand to let her know he was near but smiling she began to confess, “My own fault... you always told me that my meddling in politics would cost me and now it has. My sight and the **** from a former lover...” “Yours eyes were so beautiful, I can’t believe they would do this!” she looked away before reiterating, “Like I said it’s my own fault, you were right... always have been haven’t you?” he shook his head before commenting, “No! Because I am no better off then when you left me” she looked down as she remarked, “I left you seeking riches and influence and come back to you with nothing to show for it! Not even you!” he cupped her cheek easing her sadness, “We make mistakes all the time but you aren’t dead so that’s an positive!” “My sight will come back, I’m regrowing them!” “I will retrieve you a pair!” “And owe you another favour or deed, I don’t want people and you thinking that I only care about the advantages I get for seeing you again!” “No, this is an welcome home gift!” “What will Triss say?” “She shouldn’t care, her and Geralt spend all their time fucking anyhow!” “She broke up with you?” she aggressively and protectively spoke, “Did you cheat on her?” “No she fell back in love with Geralt!” she looked before pulling him into and hug comforted him with, “I’m soo sorry Zantano!” the others who were originally intrigued by how they would react to each other were more than shocked to see Zantano’s affectionate and caring demeanour to Philippa and her loving and almost **** behaviour in front of him but it wasn’t down to the past but because she naturally acted this in front of him. “Who removed your eyes?” “Radovid and Djikstra is the ex who abused me!” he nodded before growling spoke, “They have messed with the flower now they have to deal with the fire! I will get justice for you!” “Like you did with Emhyr?” “Worse!” she took his arm before commenting, “If you do go, take me with you. I need to be there!” he nodded feeling her hand grip his before stating, “Come on and tell me what has happened over a drink!”

Philippa drank her third tankard of ale before growling snapped, “That fucking bitch. Me being bad? I get it... we know I am but she fell in love with you to find a better life and throws it away for him!” “I promised her an life!” she shook her head before taking his hand spoke, “No she is just as bad as Geralt, when they break up he will go back to Yennefer and Triss to you before reuniting later!” “I wouldn’t let that happen!” “No, she won’t because if I must I will kill that whore. I always said think with your head not your vagina and she has done the complete opposite thing!” “Philippa leave it, you’re back now!” her clenched fist flattened out as she hesitantly looked in his direction before calling out in disbelief, “What did you say?” “You’re back, I feel calmer already!” “You don’t hate me for I did?” “Hate you? No. I was upset but I don’t hate you!” she smiled as she began to nervously blush, “You should you know. I treated you Shit and used the relationship for power!” “And in that time you still showed you could love and be loved!” she sighed before confessing, “I don’t deserve you even as an friend, you are going to kill a King and a wealthy patron of a city for me!” “Maybe you don’t deserve me but I want you here. That’s enough for me and it should be for you to!” she went to speak before stopping herself looked angrily over to the door as the other sorceresses returned apart for Triss and Yennefer, Triss avoiding her at all costs and Yennefer not being interested by it, “I should go Zantano, maybe... never mind” “What?” “Maybe we could continue this later!” he nodded dismissing himself summoned an portal and headed on through heading to Radovid’s boat.

Radovid studied through pieces on the board debating on the next move before pausing growled seeing the lights appear on the deck, “Guards! Guards! We have an Sorcerer coming!” the guards began to surround the lights and the archers readied themselves from the elevated positions. There was nothing for a few moments before standing out in two metallic boots stood the armoured Isu who wielded two blades killed the kings opponent and sat down his boots on the chest board, “Stand down! I know you!” he cheerily cheered, “You brought down Emhyr!” he nodded before being offered a drink threw it at the monarch, “You’re next!” he laughed before dropping a pile of coins on the table stated, “Unlike Emhyr I am willing to negotiate. What is your price?” “Nothing you will like!” “What are you?” “Too humans a god! Not the false prophet that you believe in... I’m Zantano the God of Punishing the dead who have been bad in their life’s; grandson of Hades and Persephone blah blah blah. To you I’m a important god!” “I don’t believe you!” he looked at the guards before standing up to confront Radovid felt the arrows pierce his skin, “This is pointless!” Zantano pulled the king by his head over the table before holding him up by the throat snapped, “Call your men off or all of you will be dead!” “My men will obey orders!” Zantano drew his knife before cutting the excess tongue off threw him over the table as he began to cut aim towards his eyes, “Why are you after me?” he struggled to stay but feeling to knifes go through his hands pinning him to the table he spoke, “You hurt someone dear to me!” “What are you on about?” “You hurt Philippa now you deal with the consequences!” “Someone actually cares for her?” but his question was answered by the taking of his eyes from his skull as Zantano looked over to the guards, “Leave or all I will do the same to you!” they looked at each other before fleeing leaving the king to barbarised until wasn’t we left was nothing more than a castrated headless body left in front of the burning shrine of the “Eternal flame” and hi head was carried away the god as trophy whilst he simply spoke, “One down one to go!”

The room was silent but knowing already of the dead king Dijkstra began to plot of his rise to throne this was until he was suddenly thrown over his table and met by several stabs to his chest, “Who the fuck are you?” he wheezed clutching his wounds until he was knocked down by a backhand from the growling gods gantlet, “You abused Philippa now I will do it to you!” “So she has another pet!” “I was the original lover!” Zantano snapped attacking him again this time cut a deep line along his stomach, “It won’t be long until you join Radovid in his pissing grave!” “You think she’s perfect; she is worse then both of us!” “I know what she is like; I know she is bad... but she is mine and she will stay that way!”

“So Philippa do you have preferences on a room?” Crach queried but shaking her head she spoke, “I will probably not require a room. Knowing Zantano I will be using his!” “Typical only been back a few hours and already plying for power!” Triss growled sickened by her intentions!” “It’s not like that Triss. Ever since what happened at Helheim he never sleeps alone, never has. I meant sleeping with him non-sexually, nothing more” Triss sniggered disbelieving her claims but interested by this claim Cerys began to prod, “I know I’m going to regret this but happened in Helheim?” Philippa’s eyes looked over to her in fury as she began to spit in uncontrolled anger, “You want to know why he is so bad and angry; if lovers like Triss actually knew a lot more about him then you would understand! Helheim was one of the worst stories I have heard. He was barely 14 when Hela kidnapped him and took him to Helheim. Exposed him to the torment and suffering of the complex and Zeus instead trying to get him back tried diplomacy for over 10 years. You criticise my intentions; Hela **** an 14 year boy old to be her mate. You could say she **** him for 10 years because none of it was willing and what came back after Persephone stormed the compound was a broken man. Persephone spent the next few years trying to help him sort his head out which is hard considering he suffers from psychosis that makes him hear the cries and screams from the dead and suffering. He was stuck in his old mindset of being Hela’s lover or more like toy and wouldn’t settle at night unless someone was next to him; that’s the short version... long version involved him fucking Persephone like he normally would and Persephone eventually accepting his advances abusing the trust the others had given her but she didn’t care because she was having let me tell you great sex. it wasn’t until the others made a big deal out of it that she realised she was just as bad as Hela. However, ever since then he has someone to share his room with!” “Crap utter crap!” Geralt snapped, “If it wasn’t Triss or you then who was in his bed?” it fell quiet until the blonde knight spoke, “Me. I came to him as a guard but at night I was his lover or to others a sex toy. I couldn’t get pregnant and he wasn’t doing it all the time but when we had sex I was eager to receive him. The single fact that Philippa has left out is his children... the bastard 4 who grew up and caused nothing but torment until Zantano killed them. All killed for being abominations!” “They created monsters?” Cerys queried, “No he is a monster who reproduced!” Geralt snapped, “Some monsters are born one others are created by the external surroundings. Zantano was made by what he saw and experienced. He no longer understands suffering unless it’s someone else’s. He doesn’t understand what the pain he inflicts causes on others and...” she stopped mid sentence before looking over behind the others her mouth fell open to see Zantano standing there blooded and whilst the others turned around they jumped hearing the sounds of two thumps on the solid table, “Zantano... where have you been?” Philippa cautiously asked as Triss turned the heads over to see the faces of the victims before stating in horror looked away to see the mangled face of Radovid and the face of Dijkstra both frozen in their horror, “They won’t be laughing anymore, Philippa!” she studied them before looking conflicted about it stated, “I told you to let me come with you!” “Too risky I won’t have you out at risk for the sake of your satisfaction. If they saw you they would hunt you. Don’t worry I informed them of who sent me” she looked over to him and stopping a few inches away threw her arms around him as she whispered so people wouldn’t hear, “Thank you!” he returned the hug feeling her cool skin against his warm skin as he kissed her cheek, “Maybe we could carry on our discussion earlier!” he nodded feeling her arm slip around his, “So how is Persephone. I heard she...” Philippa’s voice trailed off as her voice grew fainter and fainter down the corridor, leaving the others to clean the mess up.