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[gynvael]

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Geralt is always reachable by the network. Unless it's an emergency, expect not to hear back for a few hours, if not a few days.

To talk to him in person, you'll need to be in Cadens or go to his domain, a snowy mountain fortress. Yard is open; doors are locked. If he isn't around, leave a delivery with the white wolf.

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forward-dated to early october;

[iustise]

[John does not quite know how to send this message. He has tried and failed to compose it over and over in his head, and no words have come. He has had to wait until he is alone first, the pounding of his heart like a drum in his chest as he had waited to be dismissed from his post, excusing himself for the privacy of his room, where he sinks down on his bed and puts his head in his hands.]

𝓖𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓽.

𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓸𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓮, 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓸 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓰𝓸, 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮. 𝓣𝓸 𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓒𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓮𝓼. 𝓘𝓯 𝓘 𝓪𝓼𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸.

[gynvael]

[ It is not, in truth, a surprising message to receive. He only wonders what must've finally brought it on. ]

What do you need?

[iustise]

[What does he need? Where to even begin...

John turns to fix his gaze on the little chest of belongings he has accumulated for himself here in Thorne. It is not much more than a few changes of clothes and the odd personal item he has managed to collect. He had not thought to pack a bag in advance for if such a time should come, but it would not take very long to do so, given how little he supposes he really has here.]

𝓜𝔂 𝓭𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓾𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓰𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼, 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷. 𝓣𝓸𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝔀𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓹𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭𝓼 𝔀𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮, 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓸𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝔀𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓳𝓸𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓻 𝓮𝓯𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓽. 𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓪𝓿𝔂, 𝓲𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓢𝓲𝓭𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓼 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓰𝔂, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘--

[There are so many things he wishes to say to Geralt on the matter and the choices he has made. Is making. Has been making for so many weeks now. That it is not the fact that he finds himself facing this danger that has made up his mind for him, its simply decided the timing of the decision.

But that conversation can come later. For when there is time. For now he simply adds:]

𝓘𝓯 𝓘 𝓪𝓼𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓷𝓸𝔀, 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓶𝓮?

[gynvael]

[ Tomorrow? That is alarming, though unsurprising. Kings do not care to grant their men much time to prepare. It's something he has feared from the start. He can acknowledge that John's situation is unique, being part of the City Guard—it is not the Summoned being ordered, only the guards of whom John happens to be a part of—but the news sits uneasily within him nonetheless. ]

You need not ask.
You should assume they are watching.
Speak to Istredd and Yennefer. They'll help.

[ It's been a few summers since he was last in Thorne. He's no longer as familiar with its landscape, political or otherwise. ]

Know the portal is not an exact magic.
When you're through, find shelter and stay. I'll retrieve you.

[iustise]

[John is honestly grateful that they have at least been given this much notice. It will be difficult enough to plan his escape overnight, but he's been in the army. He knows they could have very well been ordered to pack up and ship out right then and there.

Istredd and Yennefer. Portal magic. John takes in a breath, letting it out slowly as he reads Geralt's blocky scrawl. There is a tone of command to Geralt's words that Geralt does not usually direct toward John himself. John finds he does not particularly mind just now however, relieved that Geralt seems to have at least some idea of how this should all play out.]

𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓫𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰? 𝓘𝓯 𝓢𝓲𝓭𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓬𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓘 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓽, 𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓪𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝔂 𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓮, 𝓘 𝓭𝓸𝓾𝓫𝓽 𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓲𝓽.

[gynvael]

[ It helps he's made this journey himself, then later with Julie and Nadine.

As for Yen, she's fled a coup overnight after, on the surface, having faithfully served the deposed queen. Aiding John will be at the bottom of her list of crimes. ]

Yes. They can look after themselves.
The crown won't pursue you past their borders.
The Badlands are firmly occupied by the Cities.

[iustise]

[John pushes himself to stand, moving to pack a small bag of belongings, about the size he would need if he were being sent out with the rest of the guard. It is likely all that he will be able to take with him -- anything that does not fit will seem suspicious. He is allegedly packing for war, not for good.

Reaching up to the ledge beside his trunk, John fetches a small carved wooden acorn, slipping it into the inner pocket of his jacket for safe-keeping.

Geralt is right. Everything he has said is solid, and Yennefer and Istredd are powerful magic users who will be able to defend themselves and John if need be. And his advice is sound. Once John gets out of Thorne, he will be in the clear.

John cannot help the small part of him that longs for reassurance rather than rescue, however. But now is not the time for such indulgences, he can fret once his feet are on solid ground again.]

𝓗𝓸𝔀 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓶𝓮?

[About the only question he can think of -- how will he know where to look when John knows nothing of the Badlands himself?]

[gynvael]

[ Geralt is, unfortunately, not able to read John's body language only his words—and so he cannot discern exactly what state of mind the other might be in.

But it's most crucial to get him out. Then they can talk. ]

Position of the sun.
Landmarks.
And your scent.

I'll find you.
I promise.

[iustise]

[Agreed. They can talk more once he's free of this place, without the threat of the war looming over either of their heads.]

𝓟𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮. 𝓘 𝓵𝓪𝔂 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓼, 𝓲𝓷 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓘 𝓼𝓾𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓹𝓪𝔂.

[gynvael]

There's nothing to repay.

Be careful.