<blockquote>
<i>"Who comes?"</i>
Ciri heard a menacing, metallic voice which sounded like a dog's bark.
<i>"Geralt?"</i>
<i>"Yes, Eskel. Its me."</i>
<i>"Come in"</i>
The witcher dismounted, took Ciri from the saddle, stood her on the ground and pressed a bundle into her little hands which she grabbed tightly, only regreting that it was too small for her to hide behind completely.
<i>"Wait here with Eskel. I'll take Roach to the stables."</i>
<i>"Come into the light laddie"</i>, growled the man called Eskel, <i>"Don't lurk in the dark"</i>
Ciri looked up into his face and berely restrained her frightened scream. He wasn't human. Although he stood in two legs, although he smelled of sweat and smoke, although he wore ordinary human clothes, he was not human.No human can have a face like that, she thought.
<i>"Well, what are you waiting for?"</i> repeated Eskel.
She didn't move. In the darkness she heard the clatter of Roaches horseshoes grow fainter. Something soft and squeaking ran over her foot. She jumped.
<i>"Don't loiter in the dark, or the rats will eat your boots"</i>
Still clinging to her bundle Ciri moved briskly towards the light. The rats bolted out from beneath her feet with a squeak. Eskel leaned over, took the package from her and pulled back her hood.
<i>"A plague on it</i>", he muttered, <i>"A girl. Thats all we need"</i>
She glanced at him, frightened. Eskel was smiling. She saw that he was human after all, that he had an entirely human face, deformed by a long, ugly, semi circular scar running from the corner of his mouth across the lenth of his cheek up to the ear.
"Since you're here welcome to Kaer Morhen, what do they call you?"
"Ciri", Geralt replied for her, silently emenging from the darkness.
Eskel turned around. Suddenly, quickly, wordlessly the witchers fell into each other's arms and wond their shoulders around each other tight and hard. For a brief moment.
"Wolf, you're alive"
"I am"
"All right"
Eskel took a torch from its bracket.
"Come on. I'm closing the inner gates to stop the heat escaping"
They walked along the corridor. There were rats here too. Ciri walked quickly, trying to keep up with the men.
"Who is wintering here, Eskel? Apart from Vesemir?"
"Lambert and Coen"
They descended a steep and slippery flight of stairs. A gleam was visible below them. Ciri heard voices, detected the smell of smoke.
The hall was enormous, flooded with light from a huge hearth roaring with flames which were sucked up into the heart of the chimney. In the center of the hall was an enormous heavy table. Although ten people could sit around it, only three were there. Three humans. Three witchers, Ciri corrected herself. She saw nothing but their silouettes against the fire.
"Greetings Wolf, we've been waiting for you"
"Greetings Vesemir. Greetings lads. Its good to be home again"
"Who have you brought us?"
Geralt was silent for a moment, then put his hand on Ciri's shoulder and lightly pushed her forward.
"Who is this child Wolf? Who is the girl?"
"She is my ..."
Geralt suddenly stammered.
His hands clenched over her shoulders.
"She is our destiny"
</blockquote>
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