Chapter 27 Calanthe's Plan

"So you deliberately concealed the news that you are alive?" Yen Naifan asked in surprise. She brushed her hair with her slender index finger and massaged her temples, "Because of the child in your belly?"

Calanthe leaned back in the large chair, stroked her bulging belly, and fell into a slightly guilty silence.

Seems to acquiesce to the sorceress's questioning.

While everyone else enjoys a table full of food without saying a word.

Bran Ann Turcek, the king of Little Skellige and the Islands, is dealing with the roast suckling pig on the plate. His hands are simple and powerful, as if he were fighting the enemy on the battlefield. Thin lips put a large, peeled lobster on the plate of the young son Svenridge, who, with a look of helplessness in his eyes, rebelliously put the shrimp back on his mother's plate.

The owner of Keljo Castle, Kratz Ann Klett, cast his eyes out of the window and showed it in front of everyone with a trace of unwillingness on his face. Ciri, who was across the table, still couldn't understand the topic being discussed, and was chewing the fish in his mouth. , the emerald green eyes looked around the people present.

And King Skellige's magic advisor, Druid Mossak, stroked the beard that fell to his chest, breaking the awkward silence.

"This is not a decision made by Calanthe alone. Her Majesty the Queen dreams of planning a day in the future to drive those bastard invaders out of her homeland and restore the kingdom of Sintra again." He was penetrating. The words of force resounded throughout the banquet hall, and he explained patiently, because he knew that behind the sorceress stood a group of witchers, and his junior Evelyn often delivered messages to him. "She longs to destroy all the Black Armor and avenge the dead Cintra warriors, citizens, relatives, and the warriors of Skellige!"

"In the first few days..." He glanced at the queen's dull face, and said in his heart, "She often went to the tomb of His Majesty Easter to cry without thinking about it. As mentioned, sleepless nights and nights."

"She developed serious health problems with her body, cold, fever, anemia...nearly losing her baby."

"Ah! Grandma, are you still feeling uncomfortable?" Ciri put down her knife and looked at Calanthe several meters away with concern. The latter's round face showed a relieved smile.

"Xiri, don't you see that in the past few months, grandma has gained a lot of weight."

"At that time, Ms. Evelyn from Novigrad received news that the witcher failed to receive Ciri. She escaped from the castle and her whereabouts are unknown..." King Bran's son, Svanridge, interjected.

On the other hand, Ciri's fair little face was strangely hot, and she was slightly disturbed by her self-willedness and mischief.

"Even when we think about it, she may have suffered an accident. So the child in Calanth's womb may be her only surviving relative, her heroically sacrificed husband, Uncle East, the only blood and blood left in the world. ."

"Once word spreads that Calanthe is alive, there's no doubt... trouble will be overwhelming."

"The remnants of Sintra... the mages of Nilfgaard... the spies of the four northern kingdoms..."

"Under heavy attack and countless pressures, it is difficult for a pregnant woman to save the child in her belly. We must create an environment for her to give birth in peace."

Yennefer began to imagine himself.

On one side is the blood feud between the family and the country, and on the other side is the flesh and blood in the stomach.

If she were Calanthe, she would - no doubt choose the child!

This is the nature of every woman and mother!

Even if it seems selfish to do so.

"So we all persuaded her together." Kratz shook his head, the unwillingness on his face turned into a sigh, "First put down the hatred of the country and the family temporarily, and then make a long-term plan after the child is born. We Skellige people, It is impossible to let Nilfgaard go! The thousands of our dead brothers cannot be sacrificed in vain! Our dragon boat has been waiting for the opportunity."

"That's right..." Bran Wang wiped the grease on his beard and agreed, "My future nephews and nieces are still there, and I must ensure the safety of their mother and daughter. Otherwise, I'm sorry for my dead brother!"

Queen Birna responded to her husband's words and put a piece of pork knuckle for Calanthe in a timely and affectionate manner.

But Yennefer clearly saw a rare light in her gray eyes.

The Queen of the Skellige Islands doesn't seem easy.

...

"Any other considerations?" the sorceress asked.

"Since you are here on behalf of the respected master witcher, and you are so liked and trusted by Little Ciri, we will not hide it from you." King Bran stroked his beard and said in a cold voice, "Currently, Sintra has been completely destroyed. Nilfgaard is occupied, and the situation cannot be reversed in a short time."

"The southern empire has long built fortifications there, publicized the sun religion and customs and culture in the south, and used their currency, the florin, which has a higher gold content, to replace the local currency. And spared no effort to win over the people left in the local villages and towns."

"According to the reports of our spies, the farmers and craftsmen who stayed in the occupied Sintra and were actively assimilated in the past six months have had a better life. They are freer and richer, and the merchant guilds have enjoyed more. privilege."

"The residents of the south have been called by the state, and they are also constantly climbing the Amer Mountains and immigrating to the north to 'open up wasteland'."

"They will soon use the materials, workers, production chains in the South to produce more goods to replace our northern markets."

King Bran's deep eyes flickered with fear, "Whether you believe it or not, in just half a year, Nilfgaard, with its strong economic and cultural strength, attacked Sintra, and The Upper Soden area has formed a de facto occupation!"

"Even if Calanthe stands up and raises his arms and shouts! Will those people who choose to compromise with Nilfgaard and enjoy their preferential policies risk their lives to 'give up the darkness'?"

It was dark outside the window.

A piercing cold wind blew against the window lattice.

Everyone's heart is cold.

no way!

The sorceress shook her head.

Nilfgaard is very knowledgeable and experienced in how to occupy other countries.

Decades ago, when they invaded small countries such as Ebin, Mechet, Nasser, etc., they have done countless "experiments", and the theory of "conquest" has been completely formed.

"There is no need for Calanser to stand up and put himself in that dangerous position!" King Bran came to a conclusion.

"At present, most of the kings of the northern countries, as well as the governor of the southern Sintra 'province' Menno Kuhorn, the messenger of Nilfgaardian Emperor Emhyr Va Enris, the bishop of Eternal Fire, The forces of the North and the South, under the auspices of the northern warlock Wigfortes, who had made great achievements in the Battle of Soden, opened a peace conference at Soden Central Castle, north of the Yaruga River."

King Bran's son, Svanridge, tried to add under his father's encouraging eyes, "The content of their discussion is very simple. Stop the war that loses both sides, and the division of power after the war. The battle of Sodden, it seems that the North has won the battle. In the end, he won, but his vitality was also greatly damaged.”

"Redania, Temeria, Kaedwen, Aden, Leiria, and Livia are all unwilling to use swords again, otherwise who will act as the vanguard and pay the greatest sacrifice?!"

The sorceress nodded.

The four northern kingdoms have never been one heart.

In the future, they will even lie in their nests, allowing Nilfgaard to take advantage of the fisherman.

"On the other hand, in Nilfgaard, their high-speed expansion has been temporarily terminated! But they still have a large number of troops, and their goals and pace are the same. They are all under the command of Emhyr, and they are not worried about continuing to fight!"

"In terms of peace talks, they will have the upper hand! If an agreement is reached..." Svanridge looked around the audience, "Nine times out of ten, the Northern Alliance will surrender Sintra to Nilfgaard. In exchange for a breather ."

Everyone present was silent.

"Aunt Calanthe has lost her country and army. If she showed up in Soden to participate in this meeting, Skellige's sea fleet would not be able to go deep into the land."

"She can only be coerced by the four northern kingdoms, become a puppet, or be coerced by Nilfgaard to lose her freedom..."

"Even if she joins, grieving Nilfgaard's atrocities and concluding their injustices, this time the situation of the Peace Conference Council is skewed towards the north, and the Northern Alliance has won Sintra..."

"But at that time Sintra became a vassal of a country in the north again... The days to come are like slicing flesh with a dull knife. It is conceivable that it cannot be turned over, and the glory is no longer!"

"How different is this from being occupied by Nilfgaard?"

"So when you show up, it's better to hide and recharge your batteries and wait for the opportunity!"

Yennefer couldn't help but glance at Calanthe.

In such a tragic situation, there is such a great ambition.

Completely restore Sintra, and live under no one.

But why?

They don't have other arrangements?

After Svanridge finished explaining, King Bran nodded in appreciation to his son.

"However, in the most half year since the end of the war, it was not all negative news."

"Once Nilfgaard regards Sintra as a province and the foundation of its northward advance, and develops vigorously, its forces will inevitably shift northward."

"At that time, the strength of Nilfgaard in the southernmost region will be reduced! It is inevitable to lose sight of one another. Outside their capital, the city of the Golden Pagoda, the vast coastline will become empty of defenses."

"When the war between the north and the south reignites, it will be our dragon boat's turn to show its might!"

Kratz showed a grim smile,

"Skelliger's armada will harass the coastal areas of the hinterland of Nigeria, disrupting their trade routes, and we will make them suffer!"

Yennefer suddenly realized that it was no wonder that the brother country Sintra was destroyed.

The Skellige Islands have been standing still.

It turned out to be preparing such a trick!

...

"The current situation..." Calanser clasped his fingers on his stomach, his eyes staring at a bright red tapestry embroidered with fishing scenes on the pillars, two dragon boats, and hundreds of warriors are throwing down a sheet that covers the sky and the sun , as they currently do.

There was a hint of strength in her soft tone.

"Apart from my closest comrades-in-arms and relatives, King Bran and Kratz, we contacted the Sintra Grand Marshal Visekid, who was secretly developed by Brugg a few months ago."

"The marshal who commanded the battle of Manada?" Yennefer asked.

"Yes. Freya bless..." Calanthe said excitedly, with a rosy glow on his face, "he survived the war and moved to Brugg, which was accepted by the noble King Wenslav. him, and help him take in the survivors who escaped from Sintra."

"King Wenslav is a man." Yennefer agreed, "fair, tolerant, and peace-loving. The year before last, he sent Geralt to Brock Leon Forest to make a peace agreement with the Dryad Queen. . And the other two nations, Wieden and Kaylak, are hostile to dryads."

"Anyway, Visekid is developing very well in Bruges. When I contacted him last month, the armed resistance of the people of Sintra already numbered 4,000, and it is still growing at an alarming rate. expansion."

Everyone present smiled when they heard the words.

And the sorceress was shocked, this is already an army that cannot be ignored!

Moreover, after the country was devastated by Nilfgaard, he was willing to join the Restoration Army, which had no hope at all, and tied his head to his trouser belt. The will and combat effectiveness of the soldiers of this army should not be underestimated!

"So, Marshal Vesekid knows your whereabouts?"

"He has always been the minister of the kingdom of Sintra, and he is sincere to the country. The relationship between me and him is like a brother and sister. Naturally, there is no need to hide it. We exchange intelligence information every month." Looking at his little granddaughter who was dealing with a charcoal-grilled octopus, "He also tried his best to find Ciri during the time he disappeared!"

"When the day comes... When the child in my womb is born, I will no longer have to worry about the future, and I will devote myself to the great cause of restoring the country. When the North and Nilfgaard tear their faces again, rekindle the war, and restrain each other."

"My chance is here. Brugg's Restoration Army and the fleet of Brother Skelly's Jebran will attack at the same time, giving the Black Armor army guarding Sintra a rake! Fight for a glorious bloodline. Re-entering the city of Sintra! This is justifiable!"

Calanthe smiled charmingly, his eyes flashing with emerald fire, "When I fled from Sintra in dismay, I swore to all the dead people, the warriors of Skellige, the spirits of Ester in the sky!"

"One day, the lost country will be retaken, and the Heijia Army will pay the price!"

"just wait."

The wind blows against the window lattices.

The eyes of everyone at the table shone brightly.

For a moment, the violet eyes of the sorceress burned with ambition.

Help a country recover, if successful, she will get unimaginably rich rewards and benefits.

But then, she glanced at the ignorant little girl, shook her head and laughed again.

Forget it, get rid of his power and ambition.

I have to stay with Ciri.

...

"Then, Yennefer, you said earlier that someone was chasing Little Ciri... and had to take her to Skellige to escape." Kratz wiped his shiny hands on the deerskin coat.

"A fellow named Riens, a mage and a spy," the sorceress said frankly. "I suspect he is a spy for King Kaldwin."

"Since he found Ciri."

Calanthe pursed his lips, and there seemed to be the white-haired witcher and the young witcher with dark gold and silver-grey pupils. She hasn't had time to thank those two yet, and since Cintra is dead, she can't fulfill her promise to pay Roy a lot of money.

"Will there be any danger to the master witcher of Novigrad?"

Hearing this, the little girl looked at the sorceress with green eyes nervously, only to see her shaking her head and saying confidently,

"The danger is unavoidable, but Geralt and the others can handle it!"

"The witchers of Novigrad are not simple." Mossak, who has been silently studying the antlers on his head, exclaimed, "Evelyn, a member of the Druid Ring of the Islands, has been working for them for several months. During the conversation, Evelynn simply praised the witchers, especially a guy named Kayan."

Like a wife complimenting her husband.

"She claims that some time ago, the witcher brought back several seeds of plants she had never seen before, as trophies for exploring another unknown realm. Although I can't understand how they did it, there is this Means, what are you worried about mere spies?"

"In any case, since the witcher master has protected Ciri for so long... let her be free from the persecution of the northern and southern countries!" King Bran turned slightly and asked Queen Birna to wipe his beard better, "they It's Skellige's friend, and brother!"

With clear eyes on the sorceress,

"Brother is in trouble, if you need it, just speak up!"

"Send out hundreds of Skellige heroes, no problem!"

Yennefer nodded gratefully.

"Ms. Yennefer, there is another important question." Calanthe looked at the good granddaughter across the dining table, "What happened to the ancient bloodline of Ciri and the child in my belly? Can't you kiss my little Ciri before I give birth?"