Ciri looked around with a thoughtful gaze. In her eyes, old n were sending young n to kill each other on a battlefield they themselves didn't want to be part of. False smiles and futile promises. All of it seed incredibly hypocritical.
And at the center of it all were her teacher and the king; everyone around seed to orbit around those two n. The fate of millions in the hands of two people. Honestly, in little Ciri's eyes, these two n were no different from gods.
After all, if they weren't, what were gods really if not masters of humanity's fate?
Ciri wasn't originally like this; she was innocent, pure, and incredibly playful, but all that changed after being captured and forced to see the ugliest side of humans. She saw the world in a way no child or teenager should have seen.
As if noticing her gaze, her teacher smiled at her and looked at her with a look she couldn't forget. An encouraging and incredibly strong look; he had a confidence in her that Ciri herself didn't have. This left her sowhat uncomfortable, as a feeling of sha and happiness bubbled in her chest.
By the ti Ciri realized it, the eting had ended; the sound of war rang out so ti later. The sound of clashing steel and the mad, insane cries of n.
Little Ciri looked to the side and saw her teacher looking at her with a smile—the sa confident smile he always had on his face. It was as if, even if the sky fell, he would hold it up. For so reason, she felt safe.
Ciri felt his palm stroking her hair, and a warm feeling ran through her body. She didn't rember when she had felt that in her life. Daughter of a prostitute from one of the miracle houses of Lys, she had truly never felt maternal or paternal love.
Yennefer could count as one; Cadmus could now count as one too.
Suddenly, Ciri felt the ground disappear and, before she could scream, the feeling of touching the ground returned. She looked at her surroundings and noticed she was in another place—a hill. Looking forward, she caught her breath.
Two armies collided against each other on the plain before her. Both armies acted like waves in a sea. They advanced and retreated. And every ti they retreated, they left the dead behind.
"What do you think of war, Ciri?" She heard her teacher's beautiful, calm voice. Looking at the n killing each other, she turned her gaze back to her teacher's face and replied in a calm tone. "n who don't know each other, don't hate each other, but kill each other because of old n who hate each other but don't kill each other."
Ciri's answer surprised Cadmus; he had expected many answers, but he hadn't expected such a philosophical response from a girl who had just entered her teens.
"You're right, but you're not looking deep enough. What is this war for?" Cadmus asked again with a smile.
Ciri frowned and looked at the bloody scene before her, but there was no answer to her teacher's question.
"This is a war to conquer peace," Cadmus answered his own question. "Ironic, right? Warring for peace."
"Rember, Ciri, as long as humanity exists, there will be wars. Humans are not perfect, and that's why they kill each other," Cadmus said in a calm tone. "What I an is that your situation is simply sothing common in our race. We can commit atrocities for the sake of what we believe; therefore, use your pain as a shield and your mind as a sword."
Ciri remained silent; she understood what her teacher wanted to say. Instead of resenting the fate imposed on her, she had to stay sane and not fall into hatred.
"Can you do it, teacher?" Ciri asked in a low tone, her green eyes still staring at the n killing each other for re orders. Fighting for what they believed in, or rather, for who believed in it.
"No," Cadmus replied with a smile. "I am a naturally egotistical being and would want to satisfy my desire for revenge. If I had gone through what you went through, I probably would have burned everything and everyone."
Looking at Ciri, he asked with an amused look, "Are you disappointed because I'm not perfect?"
"No," Ciri shook her head. "As the teacher said, humans are flawed."
"Then don't be like your teacher, such a bad human," Cadmus said, stroking the girl's soft hair.
Suddenly, Cadmus's dark green eyes stared at the horizon. Far off on the horizon, where no eye could see, a sea of banners fluttered in the wind. Red and gold. The symbol of the roaring lion.
Cadmus was only seeing it because he was scanning a huge area, so he noticed the arrival of the Lannister Army. They arrived faster than expected, which surprised him a bit. However, thinking of the flat terrain of the Riverlands, he stopped thinking about it.
There was a reason wars were fought in the Riverlands; that flat terrain was truly great for waging war.
"The Lion has arrived; now the Stag and the Falcon will fight to the death to devour the dragon and destroy the white flower," Cadmus spoke to Ciri with a smile. "Tell , Ciri, in logical thinking, seeing this scene, who do you think will win?"
As a teacher, Cadmus felt he had a duty to develop Ciri's logical and quick reasoning. Nothing better for that than forcing the brain to work.
Ciri looked at the fighting armies with an undecided expression. In her eyes, both seed balanced, but she discarded that thought. She discovered that House Targaryen and Tyrell had a certain advantage.
However, looking at her teacher's smile, Ciri thought the answer was sothing else and, after hesitating for a mont, replied, "The enemy?"
"Wrong answer; you'll have to write the fundantals of potions ten tis and hand it to tomorrow without fail," Cadmus said with a malicious smile.
"What did I get wrong?" Not knowing the book had about fifty pages, Ciri asked in a confused tone.
"Understand that your teacher will never be on the losing side," Cadmus said with a teasing look. "This war, from the beginning, is just sothing minor for an even greater war."
Ciri was speechless at her teacher's words; she then realized she had been purposely misled.
Seeing her annoyed expression, Cadmus laughed and ruffled her hair with his hand. "Next ti, think more before you answer."
Ciri didn't answer and pouted while crossing her arms.
-
On the other side, Tywin was three days from the battlefield in his red and gold armor. Even after so much ti riding, the man looked strong and upright. He wore a helm with the features of a lion. His armor also featured lion characteristics, especially the shoulders, where two golden lions looked particularly intimidating.
Beside him, Jai looked sowhat weak, as the borrowed armor slightly resembled the white armor of the Kingsguard. Obviously, an attempt to rember his glorious past as a Kingsguard.
Tyrion was beside his brother, wearing entirely red armor, although the armor on his body had a sowhat comical aspect.
Knowing the battlefield was getting closer, Tyrion felt his blood run cold. Unlike the battle at Riverrun, this was the real battle. And knowing his father's distaste for him, he was certain enough that his father would feel quite happy if the news of his death were announced.
"Brother, if I die, please invite a thousand whores to co on my grave. At least in death, I will greet the Stranger with pride," Tyrion said to Jai, making the heir of Casterly Rock roll his eyes.
"If I do that, it's possible our father will kill with his fury," Jai replied in a helpless but amused tone at his younger brother's joke.
"It's more likely he'll punch you and then throw you in a tower for a few months," Tyrion murmured, but feeling his father's cold gaze, he wisely shut his mouth.
"Let's go." Making his horse advance, Tywin and the entire army approached, marching slowly. In no hurry to reach the battlefield.
After all, arriving exhausted at the battlefield was no different from suicide.
-------
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Read my other books:
House of The Dragon: The Pale Prince
Ga Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos
Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.
Ga Of Thrones: The King's Court Wizard
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