"Wiedzmin (The Witcher)" "Based on the short stories by Andrzej Sapkowski" "Episode 9" "Temple of Melitele" " Now, when we signed a treaty with Nilfgaard, you can finally show yourself, sir." "For long I knew you serve the Empire." " I was always loyal to you, my prince, but I have to remember you that we monks don't have rulers." " Count, don't pull the wool over my eyes." "It is from my lands that you have grants for the order and I am a liege and you my subjects." "One cannot have two lords." "I've got a letter from the emperor." "He leaves us to my kindness." "Baron Hervat, please tell us what is needed." " Count, after the fall of Cintra and the death of queen Calanthe, the emperor, as you know, assigned a steward and introduced a new order." "Too radical, it seems now, and in effect the barons have raised a rebellion." " And not so long ago you said that... they fight for freedom?" " Don't interrupt!" " The situation has changed, that's politics, count." "In the neighboring countries many refugees from Cintra have appeared." "The emperor is anxious about this unrest." "There are reports that some elven tribes from the borders are involved, supportting this rebellion." "Ever those that were on Nilfgaard's side before." "To make it short, the emperor asks us to tighten the borders and capture refugees" "And as your domain is in this land...." " The order has to be done, count..." "Immediately." " There is an encrypted message attached to the letter." "You know what it means." "Only you will know it." "Because of the constant rumors that a granddaughter of the queen has lived, the emperor made a detailed inquiry." "It looks like the rumors can be true." " The girl whose body was found after the fall of the city was not Calanthe's granddaughter." "She is hiding somewhere..." " Hmmm." "Is it sure information?" " The truth is not important." "The emperor is moved." "If the barons catch the child, a war will start." "All tribes of elves and dwarfs will join with them." "They believe that the holy blood of their ancestors run in the veins of this girl." " Understood." "We have to find the girl and..." " No, for god's sake." "The emperor wants her sent to Nilfgaard as soon as possible." " I don't understand." "What for?" " I leave it to your speculation." " The Emperor has a wife but no children." " Exactly!" "And a wife?" "Well, count... politics." " Brilliant plan." "But how to do it?" "It's a hard case." "There are many temples, shrines on this land, and Melitele." "The sanctuary of Earth cult, which priestess Nenneke thinks herself above law and supports refugees under the pretence of charity." " I know." "You will carry out an inspection of these places, count." "If there are any problems, I leave it to your discretion." "Neither I nor you can be involved in anything or suspected." "I believe your intelligence and the delicacy of this mission will tell you what have to be done." "The girl must be found." " Bad." "Very bad." "It doesn't heal." "The poison had to get in." "What, Iola?" "He is terribly torn!" " Mother..." " I think he recognizes you." " He's unconcious." "He has no mother." "He's a witcher." "Can you see the talisman?" " I've thought it is a man." "He's the same, only this white hair..." " Because he is a man." "He had parents, if you want to know." "Such small children were taken away and changed into witchers." "Few lived." " Changed?" "And where did those children come from?" "Were there kidnapped from homes and roads?" " From various places." "They were children of fate." "They were called so." " Mothers just gave them away?" " Oh, not now." "I will tell you later." "Go, prepare bandages, learn!" "I don't know if he will live." "You have to help him." "Yes, I know him." "He's Geralt of Rivia." " Is it really everything?" " There's nothing we can do, Vesimir." "We have failed, he is dying." "He has every characteristic of a Wolf and an erased memory but he is still a human." " But he is a witcher, too." "I won't let him die!" " Quiet." "Calm yourself." "Sleep." " You've come." "I knew you would come." " Sleep, my little, sleep." "I will be with you." "I will watch you." "Nothing bad will happen." " Holy Melitele." "He took all your strength." "Iola, what's with you?" "Does something frighten you?" "Have you seen something?" "Is it about Geralt?" "Tell me!" "If it is something important, I release you from vows of silence." "Iola!" " It's healing all right now, my little wolf." "Can you hear me?" "Do you understand?" " Finally!" "I had to open your wounds and heal them from the beginning." "Gods, who did it to you?" "A pack of vampires?" " It was on swamps, mother." "I was too slow." "Thank you." " Thank the others too." "It was team work this time." "You have a body of iron." "Now it will go fast from here." " Who was she, that little girl?" " Ciri." "She's an orphan, one of many here." "We hide her here because times are uncertain..." "She was through terrible things, so don't be too severe with her." "It was her who took care for you." "Fed you." "It was her who took care for you." "Fed you." " I've noticed." " You know, that such a chance for our order can never occur again." "Maybe..." "Maybe one day we can create our own dominium." "And maybe even..." "You are as a son to me, but I will reject you and kill if you slip and anybody gets to know about our plans. " "Do you understand?" "Promise!" " I swear!" " We need a monster in a human body." "Somebody who spreads death and destruction, who knows no mercy, only hate." "Somebody, for who cruelty is a pleasure and a need of their dark soul." "We need such a person here right now" "We need such a person here right now in the deepest secret." "Do you know anybody like that?" " There is a woman in Sodden Mountains." "They call her "Dzie¿ba" (Threader), because she put people on pikes." "They say she is possessed by demons and tainted by the Dark Sun." "And they say that she is Renfri, princess of Kreyna." "As a child she ran away from the court and joined the seven gnomes of Mahakam." "They robbed merchants." "She is suspected of terrible acts... of the murder of her father, stepmother and half-brothers in Kreyna." "She has her own band of brigands." "She knows no mercy." "Lately she is known to be paid for killing elves." " Get her." " Come on!" "Don't be afraid of people, Geralt!" "I am the same human as you." " Ciri." "I don't know such people." "I don't know children." "I don't know how, I cannot talk." " There is no need to talk much." "Better not to talk." "Mother is telling me this all the time." " Our trusted friend in the prince's court writes about the unrest in the borderlands." "About some armed bands that ride settlements of elves and other people of Older Blood." "And about activities of Nilfgaard agents." "They are looking for someone and spread anxiety." "It is really hard to comprehend." "All right." "Come in the morning for an answer." "You will go tomorrow." " This is a warning." "Our prince joined the Empire." "They will look for refugees from Cintra everywhere, which means here as well." "But lords of Cintra are gathering their forces elsewhere." "Who are they looking for here?" " It's about Ciri." " Not possible." "Everyone has believed she was murdered with Calanthe." " She's the last of the line." "And she has holy blood." "A marriage with her will justify any action, any crime." "The emperor knows what he wants." " She's a child." " Younger than her have married." " I am worried about this letter, just now." "Does our friend suspects Ciri is here?" "And is he really so unselfish?" "Truly a strange letter." " It is about Ciri, that's sure." "We have to hide her well." " We cannot hide her here." " We cannot hide her here." " I've released you from your vows of silence, but you hide something." "You have a vision, I know." "Is it so bad?" "Tell me!" " I saw destruction, fire and death." " Where?" " Here." " I don't believe it!" "All the people, kingdoms, lands recognize the cult of Melitele, Mother Earth." "No one dare to harm us." "Come, we'll pray." " My lady, there is a bond between them, Geralt and Ciri." " I know." "But Geralt does not, don't tell him." " Ciri... has to leave as soon as possible." "Please, don't take it lightly." " I don't." "I've already sent a letter to the prince and..." "I am waiting for Geralt to heal." "Only he can help us." "Come, Iola." " Ciri." "It's you." " You stand as a statue." "Are you a statue?" " No, I am no statue and I have no desire to be one." "But I like silence." " Oh, Geralt, where did you hide?" "Are you worried?" "Don't worry." "I like you, Geralt." " We've met before." " I remember." "And I value that memory." " What has happened?" " Ah, nothing special." "We are looking for refugees from Cintra." "Many elves passed the border lately." " I thought pilgrims have a free passage." " The prince ordered, we came." "Let Falwik do a dirty work." " Who?" " Falwik." "From The Order of White Rose." "They've got these lands from the prince." " And he is here?" " Be careful with him, Geralt." " I am Falwik, count Moen, and this is sir Tailles of Dorndal." " We were expecting you, count." "The noble knights from the Order of White Rose are in service of the prince Herwald, ruling these lands." "As I know, the order applies for some grants." " Thank you for your concern, my lady, we've already got them." "On orders of the prince we've come to inspect the temple." "There are rumors that elves and non-humans find a sanctuary and support here." "The witcher has to leave the temple too." "He cannot stay here." "The prince announced the state of war readiness." " What is it about, count?" "Godess Melitele has announced here the state of peace long ago." "She is a mother to everyone, not only humans." "She is a goddess of charity and hope." "It was always like that, for ages." "You want to disgrace the oldest cult of this land." "To carry a war inspection." "There is no war here." "The prince has not ordered this." " How dare you woman!" "?" "Accuse us of lieing!" "?" " Tailles!" "Calm yourself down." " Count." "The temple of Melitele is excluded from secular power and you are supposed to watch the neibourhood of the temple." "So how is it?" " Lady, war time has its laws and needs extraordinary means that allows us to protect you." "You have to admit, lady, that a presence of a witcher in the place of cult is not usual." "What does he do here?" "Pray?" " Witcher Geralt has been for long counted among the friends of the temple." "He is healing deep wounds here now." " All right, Mister Falwik." "I am here privately, I have no mission here." "I assure you I will leave this area in three days." "It should be enough?" " You will leave at once and on a rope and we will look around this place of magic and superstition." " I think I don't like you." "I really don't like you." "You are threatening a woman and me, though I have no weapon." "Don't threaten, else you will fear yourself." "Mister Falwik!" "If he draws a sword, I ensure you I will take it from him and then I will smack his mouth for being a rude peasant." " I will clear the name of the order with your blood." "I wait before the gate." " You've dropped something, son." "Pick it up, you cannot litter here." "Falwik!" "Take this idiot from here or there will be misery." "I will write to the prince." "Get away from here." " I don't know what to do." "I don't dare believe anyone ..." "But Falwik was here, that's why I'm worried." "You will take her to Brokilon and hide her there." "It is the only place the emperor won't find her." "If it is he who is looking for her at all." " Geralt!" "You will take her to Brokilon and hide her there." "It is the only place the emperor won't find her." "If it is he who is looking for her at all." " Geralt!" " Why haven't you told me?" "Why haven't you told me that Ciri is Calanthe's granddaughter?" " What would it change?" " This that I would go away long ago!" "I've promised!" "It was not allowed for me to meet her." " Why?" "Don't you want to help Ciri?" "Save her?" " I want to!" "How it is you don't understand this?" "Ciri was a Suprise-Child granted me by the Fate and I cut the band of destiny, broke holy law, let myself a human reflex." " It was not a reflex, it was a choice." "You have chosen your own way." "You do know who you want to be!" " You are right, I chose." "See, how it ended?" "Revenge affected Calanthe and Ciri because of me." " Oh, Melitele, how prideful you are, Geralt." "You are not the center of the world." "The Empire of Nilfgaard took not only Cintra, but many other countries and wants to conquer the whole world!" "Curses, vows and myths change nothing." " What do you want from me then?" " Decide at last!" "If you want to be a human, then be a human!" " You know what such a choice means." "I killed people before, but only in defense and now I will have to..." " Yes." "If it is necessary, yes." "In a good case." " All right." "I'll take her tomorrow in the morning." " Not yet." "I'll go with letters." "We have to be sure they will accept and hide her." "Geralt..." "Tell me..." "Tell me what bothers you so?" "What you raved while unconcious..." " What?" "What?" "What did I tell?" "Mother!" " You told enough." " Ciri..." "What are you doing here?" " I want to go with you." " Does Mother know?" " No!" "Iola said that you have to take me, that there is no time." "She is a seer, she saw something, something evil." " Should I kidnap you?" " I saw my grandmother's death, fire in Cintra, I saw what they did there." "I don't want to!" "I am afraid!" "Iola doesn't lie." " Geralt, take me!" " We will tell Nenemeke." " No!" "She won't let us!" "You have to decide." "I am your Destiny Child." "Iola said so." " All right." " No." " I want to take her now." " No." " And what if Iola is right?" " There are some bands in Ellander." "It is dangerous." " She will be safe with me." " No." " You decide." " Shit." " At least you've let go of the priestess' dress." "You insulted a noble;" "Tailles." "He's challenged you to a fight." "Stand!" " Do I have to?" "You know I am not allowed to kill a man, don't you know the Wolves code?" "You made it himself." "Kramber, how is it?" " I have my orders." "You are to fight." "I have to blind you." " To even the chances, you butcher." " I understand." "That means that he can kill me with no consequences but if I touch him with my sword, I will be hanged." "Where is your honor?" "My lords, where is the knight that challenged me to fight?" "Maybe he left without goodbye?" "Mister Tailles, I let them tie me, else we will never meet here." " Take him!" " Stop!" "Count, Tailles hit his own iron." "His bad luck." " You dwarves all are the same." "You will hang, Kramber.I promise you." " You will regret it too." "I swear." " Now you, stand." "I challenge you." " I won't fight you." "You are not worthy." " Worthy of splitting you in halves as a pig." "Stop, Kramer!" "You won't do it in time anyway." "Tell me, snake, why have you wanted Tailles dead?" "You know witcher's kind, you were in Kaar Morhen." "He has no chance." "As you don't, Gwidon." " Who are you?" " Don't you remember the child which passed Test of Mountains?" "Which you wanted to kill?" " It's you..." " I can kill you as a renegade." " You killed too." "You are a renegade too,Geralt." " The temple is under my protection." " Have mercy." " Who did it?" " Monster-woman." "Finish me." " Kill me, please..." " Ready." " I ask you my lord, witcher." " What happened?" " Some reptile ate her son." " The second son!" " Save us, this monster will destroy us!" " We are afraid to get out of our houses!" " I have no time now." "I have important things, I have to ride." "I'm in hurry, I cannot!" "But I'll be back, I promise." " How can it be?" "Us, simple folk, you don't want to defend any more?" " I have only one child left." "Please..." " Wait here in two days, with my horse and a spare." " Open!" "Open!" " Iola, tell me what is going on?" " I don't know." " But you see the future." "Mother said so." " She won't believe me." "Remember, you will be a queen of Cintra one day." "You have holy blood of your grandmother." " I know." " That means you have to act as a queen, not as a child." "You have to survive, no matter what." "Think about yourself." "You have to live." " I am afraid." " We have to run!" " Calm down!" "I won't allow a search of the temple." " Mother!" " Where is she?" " I've hidden her." " No need for that." "The best place to hide is in our robes." "Open the gate!" " Let them tell us what they want first." " Anybody can enter here." "Open!" "Translated by Eda (eda@endore.org)"