A/N: I just can't help it, I can't stop coming up with 'Ciri shows up to screw around' crossovers. She's essentially a transidimensional mercenary. So hide yo men and hide yo women, people of Alagaesia, the witcher is coming.

When the possibilities are infinite, one quickly grows tired of them and searches for something familiar. Ciri knew that more than no one. That didn't mean she didn't enjoy vacation trips to another universe or two. Particularly because if she stood on her own land for extended periods of time people started looking for her, people such as the Lodge, the Emperor, every other king and the occasional supremacist elf.

So it was that Ciri felt the need to literally drop off the face of the world every now and then, and so it was that she found herself collecting bounty leaflet in the large yet crammed citadel of Urû'Baen, which the witcheress knew was elfish for either "The Downfall of the Wise" or "This Piss-smelling slum". She was leaning more towards the latter.

Bounty hunting was mercenary work, not a witcher's, but Ciri had quickly learnt that when travelling dimensions, one had to learn to be flexible about what kind of work they got. Geralt had taught her that by restricting her services to the killing of monsters, she could be free of the burden of moral judgments. What Ciri later found out was that she didn't mind having to make those calls – as long as she got to charge double for them.

She went through the papers posted on the walls, searching for any criminal who would give her a fat purse but also a good adventure.

Gruffy macho bandit, Filthy cutpurse, Smartass con artist –

She stopped at a drawing of a woman with high cheekbones and pointed ears. An elf. Her fingers lingered tentatively over the parchment. On one hand, there was definitely a good story waiting to unfold if she chose to pursue that one. On the other hand…

I fucking hate elves. Rightfully hate elves.

She hesitated for another second before ripping the paper away, rolling it up and placing it on her pocket. She studied the contracts a bit longer, and spotted another interesting offer. A very high sum over a very common, bland-looking brown haired young man.

Two hundred golden crowns and an earldom for this farmboy for treason?

She pocketed that bounty also, then made her way to her contractor – the king. She half walked, half blinked her way through the levels of the city, reading the papers as she went. Both the elf and the boy were tagged as "extremely dangerous", though his bounty was almost twice hers.

A drunken man yelped in surprise as she materialized in front of him – and away.

She flashed her way to the castle absently, engrossed on the pictures of her targets.

A pair of kids screamed, pointing at her.

She appeared on a rooftop. Up a tree branch. Inside someone's bedroom –

Oh, gross! The fetishes people have!

She paid more attention where she was going after that, and it took her less than a minute to arrive one corner away from the large castle. She walked the remaining distance to the gate, where she was promptly stopped by two brutes.

"Greetings," She began. "I desire an audience with your king."

"Why that's an awfully sharp stick she got with her, Bert," One of the men snorted, then spat on the floor.

Bert laughed. "Looking like she poked herself in the pretty face with it!"

Ciri took a deep breath and counted to ten.

"Ser, please. I require an audience to discuss –"

"Ohh, she requires an audience!" The guard mocked. "Why don't you and I have an 'audience' and I teach you to use a proper sword?"

They snorted like pigs. Ciri's patience was running really thin, really quick.

"Ser, if you're not going to let me through, at least let me talk to the one responsible for these bounties,"

She pulled the papers out of her pocket and unrolled them. Bert paled slightly at the sight of the criminal's faces, but his companion snorted.

"This little miss is going to capture the Shadeslayer, are you?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but they were interrupted by a loud, commanding voice.

"Am I seeing what I am seeing?" A man walked from inside the gates and towards them. He had deep obsidian eyes and broad shoulders, and a malicious half-smile that hinted at either great intelligence or great insanity, perhaps both. "Are two of my guards giving a lady a hard time?"

The two men froze. Bert tried to say something, stammered, then immediately fell quiet. The newcomer looked at the two with undisguised contempt.

"Go," he spat. The guards didn't need to be told twice; they scurried off like scared rats. Then the man turned to her. "Now, I believe you wanted to talk to the one responsible for these posters. That would be...me. The king. Ruler of Broddring Empire, King Galbatorix."

…wouldn't that make you an emperor, though?

She bowed her head politely. "Your Highness."

Galbatorix's cold smile widened. "I have been watching you since you set foot in my city. I'll admit you have my curiosity, and your desire to pursue these two criminals in particular pleases me."

She smiled. She'd been quite careless with her Elder Blood gifts since she'd arrived, hoping she would call the attention of someone in charge. It was yet another tactic she'd learnt from Geralt, and once more, it had worked perfectly.

The two walked as they talked, and Ciri followed him inside the castle into a large, open room. A long wooden table rested on its middle, and the king motioned for her to take a seat. The witcheress complied, and the ruler sat down in front of her.

"A glass of wine?" He offered.

"Thank you, your Majesty, but I rather keep my head clear. Yes, I am interested in pursuing these two… and the reward. I have my eyes on the reward."

She placed the two open bounty letters on the table. "One hundred gold crowns on the woman, two hundred on the man. I have no interest in the earldom, so I would have it reversed into another hundred gold coins. That makes it four hundred."

The king lifted a glass of red wine and twirled it between his fingers. "Those two are dangerous criminals."

"I gathered that much," Ciri answered. It's written. "I assure you I am competent. It would help, however, if you could share any information about the two."

Galbatorix's eyes twinkled. "You mean you have not heard? You must be from a distant corner of the Empire indeed."

Ciri crossed her arms. "Forgive me, your Highness, but my credentials shan't matter for the matter at hand. Let us talk about the job, and let us talk about my reward. If I succeed, we will part and you will never hear of me again. If I fail, I will likely be dead. All the rest is not relevant for the service."

The king burst out in a humorless laugh. "Very well. May I have your name, at least?"

He already knew her name, she was sure. She'd been on the city for almost three days and she'd been throwing it around as carelessly as she'd been teleporting her way up and down. So she decided to surprise him instead. She'd dodged his question, now she'd throw him a bone.

She leaned in, locked eyes with him and whispered.

"Zireael."

Galbatorix grinned and acquiesced with a nod. "The Swallow."

He didn't protest after that exchange, and gave her the information she wanted.

"I want them captured, not killed," The King clarified. "…well, you may bring me the elf's head, if there's no other way, but the boy must not be harmed."

Ciri bit on her bottom lip. "Mmh. To be honest, assassinations are not usually the kind of service I take," She admitted.

"And what would that be?"

"I kill monsters. Monsters, by definition: non sentient beasts of magical origin. I also find things, treasures, relics. Sometimes people, if the coin is good enough. Killing for hire has a moral component to it. I charge extra for that – and I might change my mind. I'm quite the wild card."

Galbatorix plucked a grape and tossed it in his mouth.

"I'll double it. If only to make sure no one can outpay me. As for your changing your mind…" He paused for a long while. "There is magic I could make use of to assure that wouldn't happen, but that would taint our relationship, and I believe it shan't be necessary. Your own morals will make you see the righteousness on my side."

Ciri arched one eyebrow. "Your confidence is certainly a plus. Tell me of the two I am seek."

"You will find the two together, most likely," He declared. "My spies have me informed they can currently be found in the forests of Du Weldenvarden, likely in the city of Ellesméra. There is a war. You see, Swallow, the rebels have broken the piece I long fought to establish –"

"I don't care," Ciri interrupted. "I really don't care. Your politics are of no interest to me. I won't be picking between an Empire I don't care about and rebels I care even less. I'll be picking between you, the king," She pointed a finger at him, then at the papers. "And those two here. I am indifferent to all the rest… but the reward, of course."

Galbatorix nodded. "There is something else. One last thing, before we agree on values. You might find it of importance."

"What is it?" Ciri prompted.

"The boy has a dragon."

You've got to be shitting me.

"… I am not taking this job for less than a thousand crowns." The witcheress announced.

"I want it alive."

"One thousand and a half. Not a crown less. That is the base rate, mind you. I'm charging two and a half hundred for each extra dragon I might meet, double that if you also want them alive."

"There will be no other dragons. I guarantee it." The king assured.

"Good!" Ciri agreed. "I'm sure you won't mind if I double the bonus dragon rate then."

"I hope you work as well as you bargain," Galbatorix mused.

"I hope you pay as well as I work," Ciri retorted.

The king laughed, genuinely amused this time. "Very well. A thousand and a half crowns it is. May I give you another piece of advice?"

The two got up from the table. The king didn't wait for her reply and resumed talking.

"Go for the elf. If you get her, the boy will chase after, and with him, the dragon. Should you take the boy instead, then the elf may not pursue and she may hold the dragon back."

That was actually good advice, and Ciri thanked him for it. They walked back to the large gate. There were no signs of the guards who had previously harassed her; the two had instead been substituted by a pair of ogre-like creatures. The witcheress had seen those around the city in good numbers, so she was not surprised to see they took part on the king's forces.

"I'll be waiting for news of you, Zireael," The king declared when they reached the exit.

"You'll hear of me," Ciri assured. "Unless you don't, and then you'll never hear of me again."

She didn't wait for his reply. She merely closed her eyes and blinked away.

A/N (2):

She'll meet with the Eragon crew next chapter, and she might change to the good side. If the pay is good enough. Maybe.

I might update this story next, or my other one, I have no idea.