Andrzej Sapkowski - Blood of Elves

Yennefer lowered her hand and the sensation instantly passed.

'Listen to me carefully, Surprise,' she said. 'I can easily cast a spell on you, hypnotise you, or put you in a trance. I can paralyse you, force you to drink an elixir, strip you naked, lay you out on the table and examine you for hours, taking breaks for meals while

you lie there, looking at the ceiling, unable to move even your eyeballs. That is what I would do with just any snotty kid. I do not want to do that to you because one can see, at first glance, that you are an intelligent and proud girl, that you have character. I don't want to put you or myself to shame. Not in front of Geralt. Because he is the one who asked me to take care of your abilities. To help you deal with them.'

'He asked you? Why? He never said anything to me! He never asked me-'

'You keep going back to that,' cut in the magician. 'No one asked for your opinion, no one took the trouble to check what you want or don't want. Could you have given cause for someone to consider you a contrary, stubborn, snotty kid, whom it is not worth asking questions like that? But I'm going to take the risk and am going to ask something no one has ever asked you. Will you allow yourself to be examined?'

'And what will it involve? What are these tests? And why…'

'I have already explained. If you haven't understood, that's too bad. I have no intention of polishing your perception or working on your intelligence. I can examine a sensible girl just as well as a stupid one.'

Tm not stupid! And I understood everything!'

'All the better.'

'But I'm not cut out to be a magician! I haven't got any abilities! I'm never going to be a magician nor want to be one! I'm destined for Geralt… I'm destined to be a witcher! I've only come here for a short period! I'm going back to Kaer Morhen soon…'

'You are persistently staring at my neckline,' said Yennefer icily, narrowing her violet eyes a little. 'Do you see anything unusual there or is it just plain jealousy?'

'That star…' muttered Ciri. 'What's it made of? Those stones move and shine so strangely…'

'They pulsate,' smiled the magician. 'They are active diamonds, sunken in obsidian. Do you want to see them close up? Touch them?'

'Yes… No!' Ciri backed away and angrily tossed her head,

trying to dispel the faint scent of lilac and gooseberries emanating from Yennefer. 'I don't. Why should I? I'm not interested! Not a bit! I'm a witcher! I haven't got any magical abilities! I'm not cut out to be a magician, surely that's clear because I'm… And anyway…'

The magician sat on the stone bench under the wall and concentrated on examining her fingernails.

'… and anyway,' concluded Ciri, 'I've got to think about it.'

'Come here. Sit next to me.'

She obeyed.

'I've got to have time to think about it,' she said hesitantly.

'Quite right.' Yennefer nodded, still gazing at her nails. 'It is a serious matter. It needs to be thought over.'

Both said nothing for a while. The novices strolling through the park glanced at them with curiosity, whispered, giggled.

'Well?'

'Well what?'

'Have you thought about it?'

Ciri leaped to her feet, snorted and stamped.

'I… I…' she panted, unable to catch her breath from anger. 'Are you making fun of me? I need time! I need to think about it! For longer! For a whole day… And night!'

Yennefer looked her in the eyes and Ciri shrivelled under the gaze.

'The saying goes,' said the magician slowly, 'that the night brings solutions. But in your case, Surprise, the only thing night can bring is yet another nightmare. You will wake up again, screaming and in pain, drenched in sweat. You will be frightened again, frightened of what you saw, frightened of what you won't be able to remember. And there will be no more sleep that night. There will be fear. Until dawn.'

The girl shuddered, lowered her head.

'Surprise.' Yennefer's voice changed imperceptibly. 'Trust me.'

The enchantress's shoulder was warm. The black velvet of her dress asked to be touched, The scent of lilac and gooseberries

intoxicated delightfully. Her embrace calmed and soothed, relaxed, tempered excitement, stilled anger and rebellion.

'You'll submit to the tests, Surprise.'

'I will,' she answered, understanding that she did not really have to reply. Because it was not a question.

'I don't understand anything any more,' said Ciri. 'First you say I've got abilities because I've got those dreams. But you want to do tests and check… So how is it? Do I have abilities or don't I?'

'That question will be answered by the tests.'

'Tests, tests.' She pulled a face. 'I haven't got any abilities, I tell you. I'd know if I had them, wouldn't I? Well, but… If, by some sheer chance, I had abilities, what then?'

'There are two possibilities,' the magician informed her with indifference as she opened the window. 'Your abilities will either have to be extinguished or you will have to learn how to control them. If you are gifted and want to, I can try to instil in you some elementary knowledge of magic.'

'What does "elementary" mean?'

'Basic'

They were alone in the large chamber next to the library in an unoccupied side wing of the building, which Nenneke had allocated to the lady magician. Ciri knew that this chamber was used by guests. She knew that Geralt, whenever he visited the Temple, stayed right here.

'Are you going to want to teach me?' She sat on the bed and skimmed her hand over the damask eiderdown. 'Are you going to want to take me away from here? I'm never going to leave with you!'

'So I'll leave alone,' said Yennefer coldly, untying the straps of her saddle-bags. 'And I assure you, I'm not going to miss you. I did tell you that I'll educate you only if you decide you want to. And I can do so here, on the spot.'

'How long are you going to edu- Teach me for?'

'As long as you want.' The magician leaned over, opened the

chest of drawers, pulled out an old leather bag, a belt, two boots trimmed with fur and a clay demi-john in a wicker basket. Ciri heard her curse under her breath while smiling, and saw her hide the finds back in the drawers. She guessed whose they were. Who had left them there.

'What does that mean, as long as I want?' she asked. 'If I get bored or don't like the work-'

'We'll put an end to it. It's enough that you tell me. Or show me.'

'Show you? How?'

'Should we decide on educating you, I will demand absolute obedience. I repeat: absolute. If, on the other hand, you get tired of it, it will suffice for you to disobey. Then the lessons will instantly cease. Is that clear?'

Ciri nodded and cast a fleeting glance of her green eyes at the magician.

'Secondly,' continued Yennefer, unpacking her saddle-bags, '1 will demand absolute sincerity. You will not be allowed to hide anything from me. Anything. So if you feel you have had enough, it will suffice for you to lie, pretend, feign or close in on yourself. If I ask you something and you do not answer sincerely, that will also indicate an instant end to our lessons. Have you understood?'

'Yes,' muttered Ciri. 'And that… sincerity… Does that work both ways? Will I be able to… ask you questions?'

Yennefer looked at her and her lips twisted strangely.

'Of course,' she answered after a while. 'That goes without saying. That will be the basis of the learning and protection I aim to give you. Sincerity works both ways. You are to ask me questions. At any time. And I will answer. Sincerely.'

'Any question?'

'Any question.'

'As of now?'

'Yes. As of now.'

'What is there between you and Geralt, Lady Yennefer?'

Ciri almost fainted, horrified at her own impertinence, chilled by the silence which followed the question.